When the court meeting ended, the prince was worried about Emperor Chen's illness and hurried to the Yangxin Hall. Only a small pool of dark brown blood was left on the bluestone ground outside the hall.
"Father, this is my first time attending the morning court. I don't understand some things very well. Although I know that my father is unwell and needs to rest, I still can't help but want to get his advice."
Chen Di immediately became energetic: "Help me!"
Prince He Cong gently lifted Emperor Chen up and let him lean on the bed.
"Father, Bai Dongjiang wrote a letter saying that sporadic barbarians from the Xiqiang tribe have appeared in Yanyun. It can be seen that their power is getting stronger. If they are not controlled, they may eventually become a disaster."
"However, the Shence Army wasted money and food in vain, and was greedy for merit for good deeds. It often aroused the hatred of the Western Qiang people and helped the Western Qiang grow stronger, but it did not harm the barbarians."
"Therefore, Bai Dongjiang advocated moving the capital to Zhongjing, and transferring the Nüzhi and Goryeo tribesmen who were transferred to Beijing to assist the Shence Army, so that the Western Qiang could be pacified with a single blow."
Emperor Chen closed his eyes and thought for a while, then said: "That's nonsense."
The prince originally thought Bai Dongjiang's proposal was good, but he didn't expect Emperor Chen to give such an evaluation.
"Why is this, Father?"
Emperor Chen said slowly: "Xiqiang is the general name for many tribes in the northwest and southwest."
"As far as I know, there are no less than dozens of tribes with names and hundreds of thousands in size, including Yiqu, Xianling Qiang, Shaodang Qiang, Shao He Qiang, Baima Qiang, Shenlang Qiang, Di tribe, Deng Zhiqiang, Faqiang, Tang Yaqiang and so on."
"All ethnic groups of the Western Qiang are good at riding and shooting. The land is vast and sparsely populated. Most of the land they live in is pasture, and they make a living by herding cattle and sheep."
"Therefore, the strategy of the Xiqiang is to restrain the troops. If they concentrate their forces to attack, the grassland will be vast and the enemy will be hard to find. Furthermore, the Qiang people will share the same hatred with the enemy."
"If we attack the Xianling Qiang and the Xianling Qiang flee to the Shaodang Qiang's territory, the Shaodang Qiang will become our enemies again."
"If this continues, it will not only waste troops, money and food, but will also speed up the unification of the Xiqiang tribes."
"It is better to implement the strategy of restraining the Qiang and use the Qiang to control the Qiang, so that the Qiang people will fight among themselves and attack each other, which will waste their strength."
The prince suddenly realized: "That's it!"
Emperor Chen smiled coldly: "Who do you think said those words just now?"
The prince shook his head to express his ignorance.
"Bai Dongjiang."
"What?" The prince couldn't help but widen his eyes. He never thought that since Bai Dongjiang knew about the situation of Xiqiang, why would he put forward completely opposite suggestions at the court meeting?
Emperor Chen sighed: "Cong'er, this is what an emperor must understand."
"Go to that wall, seventh row and seventh column, find Bai Dongjiang, and read it."
So Prince He Cong obediently went there and found the drawer containing the bamboo tubes. He took out the bamboo tubes marked with numbers and started reading them one by one.
Bai Dongjiang, a bachelor of Wenyuan Pavilion, is the son of Ten Years of Great cause. His father, Bai Shenfu, is a bachelor of Dongge. His son, Bai Jingtao, was the head of the Longquan County case last year and the head of the government.
As the bamboo tubes were opened one by one, Bai Dongjiang's image gradually became fuller in the mind of Prince He Cong.
Compared with the image of Bai Dongjiang in the court meeting, this fictional image created by words is more real and more delicate. The prince seems to be able to see Bai Dongjiang's upright face and his scheming face intertwined.
Half an hour later, after Emperor Chen had fallen asleep, the prince finally got a clue.
"Father, I understand. The reason why Bai Dongjiang put forward completely opposite suggestions was not to move the capital, but to temporarily reach an agreement with the Right Prime Minister Lin Ruoquan. Only by standing with Lin Ruoquan, his disciples were transferred to Xuzhou Only the Governor can obtain the approval of the Ministry of Officials."
Emperor Chen closed his eyes slightly: "Tell me and listen."
"Yes, Father!" The prince was encouraged and tried to analyze: "I saw Bai Dongjiang's relationship network recorded in the fifth bamboo tube. Among them, Xun Yushu has been in Youzhou for many years, and Mo Kanyou and others are waiting. Promotion.”
"And Bai Dongjiang's network indicates that he controls five prefectures and counties. Xun Yushu's Mokan is excellent. Coupled with Ren Youzhou's achievements when he was not driving, if everything goes well, he should be promoted to two levels in a row."
"In this way, Xun Yushu has reached the fourth rank and can be appointed governor of Xiazhou."
"Combined with the information in the twelfth bamboo tube, it says that the former governor of Xuzhou will resign upon trial. This shows that Bai Dongjiang is making plans for Xuzhou. Combining the two, I think it is Bai Dongjiang who wants to get Xuzhou. "
"Father, is your guess correct?"
Emperor Chen said: "Remember, it doesn't matter whether your guess is correct or not. The important thing is that you must know that national power cannot be wasted in vain, and moving the capital is an act of wasting national power in vain and has no effect at all."
"Then...Father, this Bai Dongjiang is so ignorant that he uses state affairs as a pawn for his own benefit. It is simply abominable. Why not remove him?"
Emperor Chen said: "With Bai Dongjiang dismissed, the cabinet has lost a bachelor. Who will check and balance Li Youdao and Lin Ruoquan? You must know that these two people have always advocated moving the capital."
The prince said nonchalantly: "Isn't there anyone who can replace Bai Dongjiang among all the civil and military officials in the court?"
Emperor Chen said: "Yes, of course there is, and there is more than one, but you can't use any of them!"
"Why?" The prince was puzzled. Since more than one person can replace Bai Dongjiang, or even do better than Bai Dongjiang, why can't Bai Dongjiang be dismissed?
Emperor Chen said: "From Bai Shenfu to Bai Dongjiang's generation, the Bai family has disciples and former officials all over the world. The harm of removing Bai Dongjiang is much more serious than proposing a proposal that is impossible to pass."
After saying so many words, Emperor Chen was also tired. He asked the prince He Cong to help him lie down and said to He Cong: "I am tired. You can handle the rest of the matter. If there is anything unclear, Go look more at that wall.”
"Father, there are hundreds of drawers on this wall. Who collected all this information?"
In fact, Prince He Cong asked this purely out of curiosity. He regretted it after asking, so it was better not to ask.
Emperor Chen didn't answer him, as if he didn't hear him.
As far as He Cong knew, the secret spy in Li Youdao's hands was called Kong Hesi, but the information in these drawers was obviously not collected by Kong Hesi, because the information about Li Youdao was also recorded in very detail.
"Divination place." Emperor Chen seemed to have said one word after lying down.
"Divination place..." He Cong repeated in his heart.
The first court meeting held by the Chen Dynasty as the prince's supervisor ended, but the aftermath of Emperor Chen's illness continued to spread, and ultimately affected the fate of many people.
In the Lihua Courtyard of Prime Minister Zuo's Mansion, Li Qiaoer gently picked up a transverse flute, put it to his lips and started to play it softly. The sound of the flute was long and lingering.
