Zhao Hong smiled but did not speak. Wang Gang, the envoy of Jiangnan East Road, came out at the right time and played to Zhao Hong. He didn't know whether it was true or false.
"Your Majesty, Xia Di is close to the Tatar border. Once it accepts the surrender of the Xia people and connects with the Tatar border fortress, it will definitely face a head-on confrontation with the Tatar army. Xingling is broken, and accepting it is like riding a tiger with difficulty. Your Majesty, be careful."
Xue Ji, the Prime Minister and Assistant Prime Minister, is already very old. Recently, there have been a lot of rumors that Wang Gang has entered the center of the imperial court, which has caused everyone in the government and the public to speculate on who will be the next Prime Minister.
"Your Majesty, the Xia people are not sincere in coming to join forces. If the Xia people and the Song Dynasty are at odds with each other, so as to disturb the world and cause the Song Dynasty to be uneasy, wouldn't we, the Song Dynasty, be asking for trouble? Your Majesty, think twice. .”
Xuan Zhen, Minister of the Ministry of War, also stepped forward and spoke righteously, but he was trying to dissuade Xi Xia from being accepted.
He is nearly seventy years old, and like Xue Ji, he is on the verge of becoming an official. At this time, there was less utilitarianism and more concern for the country and the people.
"Two...two gentlemen, I, the Great Xia, surrendered to the Great Song Dynasty. I have the royal letter written by the Emperor of Xia himself, as well as maps and records of Xingling places. How can this be false? The Great Song Dynasty saved the Great Song Dynasty. Once in Xia, are we going to be ravaged by the iron cavalry of the Tatar army again? Are the hundreds of thousands of people in Daxia allowed to be slaughtered by the Tatars? Your Majesty is the greatest emperor in the world, and you cannot sit back and watch the survival of the people of Daxia?"
Luo Shichang was shocked and quickly started to argue.
The Xia people were aggrieved that the Song people had seized the land in Hexi. They thought that the Song Dynasty should be overjoyed to take over Xixia, but they did not know that when the Song people were prospering from all kinds of waste, they did not want to accept the war-torn Xingling land.
The Emperor of Song Dynasty was ambitious. Was he trying to control the desperate Daxia, or was there something else...
"Your Majesty, if Emperor Xia wanted to join the Song Dynasty, he should have sent an envoy here long ago instead of waiting until today. Back then, the Emperor of the Song Dynasty led a personal expedition and arrived at the bank of the Yellow River. Emperor Xia was so high up that he was so close that he couldn't even see him in front of him. Coming to see our emperor, is this how you treat your savior?"
Wei Liaoweng, the minister of the Ministry of War, with a dark face, continued to support the fire.
Three years ago, Zhao Hong Yujia personally marched and arrived at the Yellow River, but Emperor Xia Li Sui did not come to meet with the Emperor of Song Dynasty. Although Zhao Hong didn't care, everyone in the government and the public, as well as in the army, was very angry and kept it in their hearts.
"Several envoys, please don't forget that the land of Daxia, including the land of Xingling, is the homeland of my Song Dynasty. When I entered Hexi, I, the King of the Song Dynasty, captured Hexi from the Tatar army. I can only count it. Restore the old land. Not to mention, our army occupied Hexi, and there were countless living Xia people, and they had the kindness to rebuild. Since the Han Dynasty, the four counties in Hexi have been under the rule of our Central Plains Dynasty. Our army, the King of the Song Dynasty, restored Hexi. It’s a matter of course, it’s not something that is forced upon others.”
Another political advisor, Zou Yinglong, said coldly, without giving any face to Li Zhonge and others.
The land of Xingling was devastated and in ruins waiting to be renovated. The Song army marched north. Apart from slightly expanding their territory, what could they gain?
The ministers expressed their opinions one after another, and they all had a negative attitude towards accepting Xixia. Zhao Hong remained silent, while Luo Shichang and others were panicked.
"Emperor of the Song Dynasty, the monarchs and ministers of the Great Xia came to seek refuge at all costs. I hope the Emperor of Song will not turn away the people of the Great Xia and give the people of the Great Xia a way to live!"
Luo Shichang said sadly, knelt down to Zhao Hong and kowtowed "Bang Bang".
The Emperor of the Song Dynasty was terrifyingly calm and frighteningly cold.
If we just return without success, maybe in a few months, Xixia will be a river of blood and a hell on earth.
Zhao Hong was silent, and Song officials were in opposition. It seemed that the Song people were really unwilling to accept Xixia as a burden.
"The Song Dynasty is a state of etiquette. The Emperor of the Song Dynasty is wise and mighty, helping people in danger and rescuing people in distress. I hope that the Emperor of the Song Dynasty will accept the Xia people and uphold the way of heaven!"
Li Zhong'e and Zhang Gongfu knelt down together. Like Luo Shichang, they both felt sad in their hearts.
If the Song Dynasty shut out the Xia people, the Xia Dynasty could only resign themselves to fate and let the Mongolian army slaughter them.
The Emperor of the Song Dynasty remained calm, which meant that maybe Daxia could still be saved and had a chance.
"Your Majesty, you must not be kind to women!"
"Your Majesty, the Tatars are watching with eager eyes, and the Tatar envoys are coming soon. I, the Song Dynasty, will also restore the Central Plains and make an agreement with the Tatars to attack the Kingdom of Jin. Don't lose the big for the small!"
Several important ministers spoke one after another, all of them looked solemn and extremely serious.
"Please step back, I have my own opinion."
Life is not easy. Several old men with white beards knelt down and kowtowed. Zhao Hong couldn't bear it and could no longer pretend.
No matter what the Xixia monarchs and ministers were like, he was bound to save hundreds of thousands of Xixia people.
The ministers stepped aside, and Zhao Hong looked at Luo Shichang and the three of them, with a kind voice and a soft voice.
"Envoys, please get up. I want to know, is Lord Xia really sincere and willing?"
Sometimes, the situation dictates that no matter how dissatisfied you are, you just lose and can only choose to accept it.
It is estimated that the current Xixia Emperor Li Sui felt the same way.
However, if Xixia's surrender is accepted, a second large-scale Mongolian-Xia war may occur at any time.
"Your Majesty, all the kings and ministers of Great Xia are willing to do so. Please give me your permission!"
Luo Shichang stood up and said tremblingly, trembling in his heart.
Could it be that Zhao Hong captured Hexi and stood by, refusing to save Daxia?
Today's Xixia only has the land of Xingling, which is dilapidated and not even worth mentioning. If the Song people don't save them, Xixia can only sit back and wait for death.
"Emperor Xia is sincere and please give permission to Emperor Song!"
"Please give your Majesty's permission to give Xia Min hope!"
Zhang Gongfu and Li Zhong'e bowed together and said, both of them feeling guilty.
The two of them probably had the same thoughts as Luo Shichang, lest they be rejected by Zhao Hong.
The lives of 200,000 to 300,000 soldiers and civilians in Xixia were at stake, so they couldn't help but be nervous.
"Your Majesty, this matter is very important, so don't do it..."
Wang Gang urged in a hurry, but Zhao Hong shook his head gently to stop him.
"Dear envoys, please be patient and allow me to think about it for a while."
Zhao Hong stood up, looked at the courtiers around him, and walked behind the screen in the imperial study room.
Accepting Xixia is not just a simple statement. How to arrange Xixia monarchs and ministers, how to govern Xixia, how to station troops, etc. must be carefully considered.
Several important officials from the imperial court quickly followed.
The three of Luo Shichang looked at me and I looked at you, speechless for a moment.
Originally, I wanted Emperor Song to protect Daxia, but now it seems too naive. The dilapidated land of Xingling was tantamount to a burden, and the Song people did not want to take over it at all, let alone allow Daxia to survive.
Now it seems that Emperor Xia still had the foresight to let go. Princess Li Weiming of Anguo was too young and too optimistic.
"Ms. Luo, this matter won't affect the rift between the princess and Emperor Song, right?"
Feeling touched, Zhang Gongfu subconsciously whispered.
Li Weiming wanted to protect the Great Xia Kingdom, and he already had the harem involved in politics. What is her relationship with the Emperor of the Song Dynasty is the foundation for them to settle down and live in the Song Dynasty.
"That's not true. Emperor Song's martial arts skills shouldn't be so small-minded. But the princess..."
Luo Shichang stroked his white beard and frowned.
Li Wei is famous for being soft on the outside and strong on the inside. Xixia has perished, so it is best not to let her get interested.
"Why!"
Li Zhong'e frowned and sighed.
As a member of the Xixia royal family, his understanding of Li Sui and Li Weiming's brothers and sisters was no worse than that of Luo Shichang. Even if the Song Dynasty could be allowed to take over Xixia, there would probably be a lot of trouble in the future.
It's going to rain and my mother wants to get married, so let it be.
"Your Majesty, I believe that the terrain of Xixia is useless. Once it accepts the Xia people, it will definitely turn against the Tatars. The Song Dynasty is implementing new policies in various places to eliminate old disadvantages. At this time, fighting with the Tatars will not benefit the Song Dynasty. Your Majesty Think twice.”
In the inner hall at the back of the study, Zhao Hong remained calm, while Zou Yinglong, who was attending political affairs, couldn't help but tried to persuade him.
The Song Dynasty is prosperous, what should we do to revive this ruined place?
"Your Majesty, what Xianggong Zou said is absolutely true. The Xia people did not come to surrender sincerely. Once they accept it, they may cause trouble. It is better to sit on the sidelines and watch the tigers fight on the mountain. The walls are clear and the fields are clear, and they deal with the Tatar army."
Xue Ji had gray hair and furrowed his brows. He seemed to agree with Zou Yinglong.
At this time, taking over a bad baggage and having to face the Mongolian cavalry as an enemy was really not worth the gain and it was too ill-considered.
"Your Majesty, think carefully!"
"Your Majesty, think carefully!"
Wang Gang, Xuan Zhen and other ministers worshiped together. Everyone was determined and opposed to accepting Xixia.
What's there to use in that broken place in Xingling? It would be unwise and too risky to openly break with Mongolia.
Zhao Hong walked to the window, and a group of students from the Jiangwu Hall happened to pass by in the distance. They were sweating profusely, dark and strong, but full of vigor and vitality.
Does this kind of vitality also represent the flourishing national destiny of the Song Dynasty?
"Although the Xingling Land is in ruins, can I give up hundreds of thousands of Xixia people? If the Xia people in Hexi are willing to submit to our dynasty, I have to save the Xia people in the Xingling Land. As for the Daxia royal family , the monarchs and ministers of Daxia are all bullshit! They have made the country like this, and millions of people have been played to death by them, and I don’t care about them at all! What’s more, Xingling and Hexi are one, and they are each other’s horns, so we cannot abandon them.”
After complaining for a while, Zhao Hong's eyes lit up and he seemed to be mumbling to himself.
"Since I came to the throne, the Jinling Military Academy has been running for five sessions and has graduated 6,000 students. If you include the students from the Sichuan Military Academy branch, there are nearly ten thousand. There are officers who graduated from the two martial arts schools. , there are already nearly ten thousand, and the soldiers in the northwest frontier alone number more than two hundred thousand. I have hundreds of thousands of warriors in the Song Dynasty, are we still afraid of accepting a small Xingling Land?"
Several ministers were silent. Judging from the emperor's intention, he wanted Qiankun to be arbitrary and prepared to take over Xixia and declare war on the Tatars.
"I still say what I said. If the Tatars don't use troops in the Song Dynasty, I am willing to hide my power, bide my time, conserve national strength, and then slowly plan to conquer the Central Plains in the north. However, today is a time of great strife. If you don't advance, you will retreat. Even if I don't advance, I will retreat. The Song Dynasty wants to be alone, can the Tatars let the Song Dynasty go?"
Zhao Hong looked at the teaching field and said with emotion:
"Only when you dare to say no to a strong enemy and use your sword when it's time to use it, can you win the respect of your opponent. Blindly giving in and shrinking will only make the other party look down on you, which will only make it worse. If I tell you, Wo Kuotai will go south to attack gold, and Do you believe that I, the Song Dynasty, will use troops?"
At this time, the Mongol Empire under the leadership of the Mongolian nobles was very similar to the American country in later generations. There was no morality at all. It was just that one used more troops on the surface, while the latter was more despicable and shameless.
In front of these people, there is no reason to argue. It only depends on strength and whose fist is stronger. If you want to survive and strengthen, you must be self-reliant and dare to draw your sword.
"My dear friends, please don't forget. Whether we accept the Xingling Land or not, we cannot avoid the war between the Song Dynasty and the Tatars. Instead of being cautious, it is better to give it a go. The Xingling Land is also my hometown in China. Li Jiqian accidentally Gain it. We, the descendants, must take back what our predecessors lost. Not only the entire Xixia, but also the Western Regions must be brought under my rule, the Song Dynasty!"
Zhao Hong walked over and pointed to the sand table of the map of China on the table. The Song Dynasty map and Hexi were crisscrossed by mountains and rivers, and the two rivers and the Western Regions were flat land, which was very abrupt.
"Look, by accepting the land of Xingling, the whole of Xixia will be integrated, and Hexi will avoid the trouble of being flanked by enemies. I decided to accept the surrender of Xixia and place it under the rule of our Song Dynasty. This is the road to Xixia. You all think that how?"
Many things just require a little courage. For him, he has always been bold and enterprising, not to mention what the Mongolian cavalry is and what it can do, he knows better than anyone else.
"Your Majesty, your Majesty Qiankun can make your own decision regarding the matter of Xixia Xingling."
After Zhao Hong said what he said, the ministers were silent. Xuan Zhen spoke first, no longer insisting on refusing to accept Xixia's proposal.
Between countries, there is no fairness between the weak and the strong. Anyway, sooner or later there will be an all-out war with the Tatars, so why be afraid of accepting a place to revive the spirit?
"Your Majesty, I will take your Majesty's lead as yours."
Zou Yinglong spoke next, seeming to have compromised.
Accepting Xixia will create an additional barrier on the northwest border, which is not without its benefits.
"Your Majesty, although the Xia people are willing to surrender, your Majesty still needs to be cautious about the Tatars. Once we break with the Tatars, Li Quan of Chuzhou will definitely go south to invade the Song Dynasty. By then, the Song Dynasty will probably have to fight on several fronts. .”
Although Xue Ji did not directly accept Xixia, he no longer opposed Zhao Hong's decision.
Emperor Qiankun is arbitrary. Even if he opposes it, what effect will it have?
Since there are advantages and disadvantages, why bother with it.
Wang Gang lowered his head, his face was ashen, and he remained silent.
"Wang Gong, it's going to rain on your face!"
Zhao Hong looked at Wang Gang and laughed.
He served as the envoy of Jiangnan East Road for five years. Not only did he train troops well, he also greatly increased taxes, and Wang Gang was indispensable.
Wang Gang smiled sheepishly and felt much more relaxed.
Falling out with Tatar seems to be a matter of time. It's going to rain and my mother wants to get married, so let it be.
"Li Quan, I'm afraid I, the Song Dynasty, will restore Chuzhou."
Thinking of the Shandong Zhongyi Army, Zhao Hong felt a little regretful.
After five years on the throne, he tinkered with the Shandong Zhongyi Army, but eventually parted ways with the Song Dynasty court, so much so that he might have to use troops against it.
Yang Miaozhen, that long-legged beauty, was just a traditional woman after all, with her husband and wife accompanying her. After all, she still didn't listen to his advice and wanted to follow Li Quan. The road was in trouble.
