"Can't we build a Song Dynasty like the Han and Tang Dynasties, which can destroy the Western Xia and defeat the Jin people, without repairing the Genyue Mountain, without using women to pay off debts, and without paying gold and silver, and the emperor can guard the country and die for the country?"
"But some people, for some reason, clearly know what I want to do, but are always unwilling to move forward with me. They always want to move backward and go to Feng Heng Yu Da! Now, I have invited the Holy Lord of Feng Heng Yu Da to you, and asked you to protect him and go to Tokyo to continue Feng Heng Yu Da, but you despise me for making trouble?! Who is making trouble?!"
By the end of his speech, Zhao Jiu's blood was boiling, but he immediately restrained his breath and turned back to face him:
"Today I have made it clear that I am not doing this for the two saints. They are not worth my effort. It is also not easy to say that I am doing this for the people, because even if I want the people to express their opinions, the people from the two rivers cannot come over. Today I am doing this for you... for you, the scholars and bureaucrats who are indispensable for governing the country. Today I want you to make a clear distinction... between me and the two saints; between the new and the old; between war and peace; between the people of the two rivers and suffocation and complacency; between prosperity and prosperity and fish ponds and mulberry forests; between the old Song Dynasty and the new Song Dynasty... It is basically a situation where the Han and the traitors cannot coexist! You can only choose one! Everyone can only choose one!"
"Your Majesty, this is a breach of contract!" Before he finished speaking, someone suddenly spoke up. It was the Jin envoy Wulinda Zanmo. "We agreed that if you return the two saints, we can exchange Jingdong and the five counties for peace!"
"You can't hand over the five counties of Jingdong!" Zhao Jiu waved his hands impatiently.
"How is it possible? We have already taken Jinan... The government is making specious arguments and breaking its promise!" Wulin Dazanmo protested, his voice particularly harsh on the dock where there was only the sound of the wind.
"We, the emperor and his subjects of the Song Dynasty, are talking about peace and war with the Jin people. What does it have to do with you?" Zhao Jiu was about to answer when a man suddenly stood up from behind his horse and pointed at the Jin envoy. It was none other than Qu Duan, the commander of the Imperial Cavalry. "Are all these soldiers and horses made of wood? Tie them up and stuff their mouths with horse manure!"
Zhao Jiu turned around and looked at him, and Qu Duan quickly leaned over to hug the horse's legs again.
But at this time, there was no need for the imperial guards and the elite cavalry that came with the generals and military commanders. The navy from the imperial camp beside Zhang Rong had already rushed forward and dragged Wulinda Zanmo and several deputy envoys down. However, it was not convenient for them to go to the government to find horse manure for the time being, so they just made a ball of water grass from the river and barely stuffed it in.
The scene quieted down. Zhao Jiu came back to his senses, took the whip from the horse, nodded at Zhu Shengfei who was silent, and finally pointed at Lu Haowen: "No one can be exempted today. The Ministry of Rites wanted to claim illness to avoid this, but I dragged them out...Except Yue Fei and Zhang Jun who have something to do, Li Yanxian has to stay in Shanzhou, and the rest of the civil and military officials are here. Prime Minister Lu, start with you, one by one, do you follow me or Feng Heng Yu Da?!"
Lu Haowen recalled the questioning by the fish pond before, and was helpless, so he could only bow his head and say: "Of course, it's from Your Majesty."
Next, Zhao Ding, Zhang Jun, Liu Ji, and Chen Gui naturally answered one by one according to the agreement of the fish pond. Then, Zhao Jiu first let Li Guang, who had a complicated expression, go back and look at Han Shizhong, who had just released his horse's legs and was brushing the dust off his jade belt.
Seeing this, Han Shizhong quickly held onto the jade belt and held his head high: "What are you talking about, Your Majesty? I sold my life to you for this jade belt in Jingou Town."
Zhao Jiu sneered and raised his whip to point at Li Guang again: "Xiantai!"
Li Guang was silent for a moment, then asked, "Your Majesty...was the Song Dynasty so bad before?"
"It's not that bad, it's just that the national politics and military are bad enough." Zhao Jiu answered frankly. "The economy and culture are all first-class... Li Qing, don't feel burdened. This matter is not a life-and-death struggle, but the situation is like this, and it is inevitable... When Xu Xianggong retired that day, he had a glimpse of today's scene in advance."
Li Guang nodded and was about to bow and say: "Your Majesty..."
"Li Qing." Zhao Jiu shook his head before the other party could. "Li Qing, if you leave, I don't know when I can find another censor who is not selfish and dares to point out my weaknesses... Consider that I specially invite you, trust me once and stay!"
Li Guang was stunned for a moment, took a deep breath, and continued to bow and said: "I am willing to follow the emperor."
Zhao Jiu nodded in response.
"I resign." The next moment, the Minister of Personnel Liu Dazhong resigned calmly.
"I also resign." The Minister of Rites Zhu Shengfei also resigned with relief.
Zhao Jiu nodded in agreement.
After the two of them, there were the two eastern and western prefectures, one camp, six ministries, nine temples, five academies, plus the Yutang scholars, the secretaries, the recorders, the Censorate, the imperial guards, the Kaifeng prefecture, the Huazhou area, and a hastily appointed ambassador to welcome and serve the emperor, Quan Bangyan... A total of 373 people with official ranks accompanied the trip, and 299 people who followed Emperor Zhao, including the prime minister and the Chief Censor who was known as half-prime minister; 74 people resigned, including two of the six ministers, two of the nine ministers, and one of the five academies.
But there is no one from the two saints.
After the discussion, everyone felt relieved. However, Prime Minister Lu Haowen was still worried that the two saints had been left there for a long time, so he took the initiative to inquire about the resettlement of the two saints and other clan members.
Emperor Zhao, dressed in plain clothes, had obviously made arrangements long ago. He directly gave instructions to properly resettle the two retired emperors in red robes... Among them, Emperor Daojun was resettled in the Bodhidharma Hall of Shaolin Temple, and Emperor Yuansheng was resettled in the Dongxiao Palace. All the princes, dukes, dukes, and princesses, except Prince Xin who had made meritorious services but did not return, were demoted three levels and sent to Nanyang for proper resettlement.
After the conversation, everyone was ready to turn back, but at this moment, the Palace Attendant Censor Wanqi Xie suddenly stepped forward and requested to change the reign title to Shaoxing on the grounds that the two emperors had returned to the south!
As soon as these words were spoken, they were immediately agreed and echoed by almost everyone.
"Too wasteful." Zhao Jiu, who had been under the dragon banner from beginning to end, felt a bit like a sage, but after thinking for a while, he slowly shook his head. "Official documents and coin molds have to be changed... Forget it."
At this time, the emperor's words were almost final, and everyone stopped insisting.
But, as if he suddenly remembered something, Zhao Jiufu pointed at the ground under his feet with his whip and said, "Is this Baimajin, Baima County?"
"Reporting to the emperor, it is Baimazin and Baima County." Quan Bangyan, who had been stationed in Huazhou for a long time, bowed in response.
"Then kill Baima and make Shaoxing!" Zhao Jiu ordered calmly. "Change Baima County to Shaoxing County."
After saying this, Emperor Zhao, who seemed to have forgotten something, finally slowly reined in his horse and started riding, heading towards Tokyo. Before the civil and military officials could agree, they took advantage of the early morning and started riding in the breeze to follow him.
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