We all worked hard to follow the government from Huaishang to Nanyang, and from Nanyang to Tokyo, and we finally settled down. Why do you, Han Xiaozhou, jump out at this time and want to take the lead with just a memorial?
Because your last name is Han? Of course you can, but unfortunately, this official is naturally opposed to communicating with the Jin envoys, so even if your last name is Han, it won't work.
"You are right, there is really no need to send an envoy."
As expected, after a discussion, Zhao Jiu regained his spirits and took the opportunity to lower his tone, but then directly raised the issue that he really cared about. "However, the letter from Governor Han reminded me of another thing. Last year, I heard that the Jin people opened the imperial examinations... They used knives to force many scholars to take the exams, and then granted them official positions. What do you think we should do? We must have a proper tone for the scholars in Hebei."
By the way, what Zhao Jiu said was true. People were really forced to take exams with knives, and then they were granted official positions. However, it was not the nationwide imperial examination of the Jin Dynasty, but a mess made up by the Western Court of Nianhan. The scope of granting official positions was also in the territory of the Western Route Army. It was obvious at a glance that it was the work of Wanyan Xiyin.
After the announcement of the successful candidates in this examination, several of them felt that their reputations were humiliated and remained depressed. Later, because the Song army had captured the river this year, some of them were officials in Linhe, so they fled here with their families, and the news leaked out.
"I think we should not treat such people as enemies." Xu Jingheng, the deputy minister of the capital province, stepped out from the crowd and said straight to the point. "Who can live without family? The Jin people are holding knives and forcing us, and the scholars of Hebei are like a man with a stick in front of the battle... In such a situation, it is natural to fight in the battle and fight with swords, but to use this as a crime is laughable."
Zhao Jiu nodded heavily. Since he did not allow Han Xiaozhou to go north, he was bound to send some obvious signals to the scholars in Hebei through other means. Moreover, Zhao Jiu felt that it was indeed not right to treat people as traitors of the Song Dynasty so easily. He just didn't figure out what legal theory to use to explain it.
"Your Majesty," At this moment, Wanqi Xie, who had not retreated before, also took the opportunity to speak. "Your Majesty, this matter is not only excusable, but also has legal provisions. It does not conflict with your order... You must know that these people were ordinary people when the two rivers fell..."
"I understand." Zhao Jiu suddenly realized. "When the two rivers fell, these people were not officials, but ordinary people. They had no responsibility at all... If there must be someone responsible, it is the court that first betrayed the people of Hebei. If there is any guilt in this matter, it is all on the emperor and his ministers, not them. Therefore, this matter cannot be regarded as an enemy or a traitor. Just think of it as being held hostage as Minister Xu said! And those scholars who surrendered should also be properly resettled."
Now that there was a proper explanation for the matter, everyone should have been excited, but for some reason, many people in the hall felt a little embarrassed... It was obvious that they were embarrassed when they heard the words "Jing Kang Emperor and His Ministers".
How many of those who can stand here are not the emperor and his subjects of Jingkang? Moreover, Emperor Zhao just rejected the suggestion of welcoming back the two saints, and now he is saying that so and so are guilty. How can we connect this?
Zhao Jiu also came to his senses and secretly sighed that he had become increasingly anxious these days, but what if his heart just couldn't calm down for some reason? It was like this before the New Year, and now that he had come back, he thought he could gradually calm down, but because of another thing, he became even more anxious.
But no matter what, today's political affairs have been settled, and Zhao Jiu is ready to return to the harem.
However, just as Zhao Jiu stood up to leave Wende Hall and turned to the side door, he saw Yang Yizhong kneeling on one knee behind the threshold of the side door holding a note.
This position is extremely strange... Logically speaking, the letters from the commanders usually do not involve military intelligence, and serious military intelligence still goes through the Privy Council, so no matter how important the letter is, Yang Yizhong should not present it on this occasion.
And if this note was really extremely important and needed to be known to the prime minister and other important officials, why didn't he just go into the palace and hand it in? Instead, why did he leave it in a place where it couldn't be seen by the court officials?
With some strange mood, Zhao Jiu stepped forward to take it, but after just taking a look, he shook it slightly, then threw Yang Yizhong away and went straight back to the hall, calling out to the ministers who were about to leave.
"My dear nobles." Zhao Jiu looked calm, holding the letter and standing on the throne. "The commander Li Qiong sent me a letter saying that the Jin people suddenly sent envoys to the river, and there was also a letter in it. It was brought by the envoy and sent to me in the tone of the Fourth Prince Wuzhu... He said that he and I had fought against each other several times, and although we were enemies, he regarded me as a hero and a close friend. So he made the decision this time and persuaded the Jurchen nobles to unconditionally return my biological mother, the Queen Mother Xuanhe, and several imperial concubines to cross the river and return home to fulfill his filial piety... So he asked me to send someone to pick them up... What do you think?"
The atmosphere in the hall was silent for seven or eight breaths, and then Lu Haowen calmly saluted: "Your Majesty, this is a filial piety and righteousness that cannot be violated. I think we can send Han Xiaozhou as an envoy... First, to welcome the Queen Mother, and second, to show the people of Hebei that you will not abandon Hebei!"
Zhao Jiu nodded slowly, his expression not changing at all... In the eyes of the ministers, it was as if he had returned to the same state he was in a year ago.
PS: Sorry, this chapter took me a long time to revise... and I'm not satisfied with it in many ways.
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