Heavy rain poured down in the Northeast, and there was serious water accumulation outside Pyongyang City. The Sui army was unable to attack the city. Yangji, who was trapped in the northeast of Chang'an City, had nothing to do and could only wait for news from the navy and Hao Yuan, who built earth as a dike.
In contrast, in the Central Plains, the sun shines brightly for days, providing good weather for people to harvest autumn grain and dry millet.
In the early morning, the morning glow broke through the clouds over Luoyang, and the sky was filled with brilliant colors on the palace, making it as beautiful as a palace in the sky.
At the same time when Yang Ji saw off Yu Wenshu, all civil and military officials, guided by the censor Jiuyi, entered the Xuanzheng Hall of Ziwei City where the Chang Dynasty was held.
The self-conscripted Eastern Army captured Liaodong City and captured Gao Yuan alive. The war in the Northeast was no longer the focus of the imperial court. Everyone inside and outside the court believed that with Yang Ji's ability, it was only a matter of time before the Sui Army captured Pyongyang City and annihilated Goguryeo. Problem, nothing to worry about.
Even Yang Ji's political opponents hold this view. Although the major forces have intractable feuds with Yang Ji because of their interests, Yang Ji's military talent has long been recognized by everyone with his great victories one after another. .
Therefore, the content of the recent disputes in the court meeting is still related to Yang Guang's personnel transfer: the border county officials appointed by Yang Guang were all military generals. When this news came out, the government and the public were shocked. Many people believed that the Sui Dynasty was going eastward. /The Turks started a war, and some people began to jump out to oppose it.
They believe that the imperial government's seizure of the West Sea Protectorate is poor and backward, which has placed a huge burden on the imperial government's finances. The Andong Protectorate that is about to be acquired will definitely not be much better. The imperial court's top priority is to govern and digest these two newly acquired territories, and This is not an unnecessary war.
Otherwise, it is very likely to follow in the footsteps of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty. Although Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty achieved unprecedented military achievements, he wiped out the accumulation of Emperors Wen and Jing and halved the population. This is a lesson for the Central Plains Dynasty. Don't do it again.
Where there is opposition, there will naturally be supporters; the military and generals from military families believe that the Sui Dynasty is different from Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty. They retort that since the founding of the Sui Dynasty, they have never fought a losing battle, except for the battle in the 19th year of the founding of the emperor. Apart from defeats, every war was a success, especially for Yang Ji. Not only did he clearly put forward the bandit logic of using war to support war and using war to support the country, he also practiced it personally. To make money, why not fight?
Both sides insisted on their own opinions, and no one could refute the other. The stalemate lasted for several days, and finally the dispute was calmed down a little. However, the matter of the Great Khan of Eastern Turkestan sending his son to the DPRK exploded the matter again: Although Ashina Duji, the eldest son of Qimin Khan, is still in the Yanmen County area, there is news that Qimin Khan united with various grassland officials to pay tribute to the Sui Dynasty with 5 million sheep, 100,000 cattle, and 100,000 war horses. But it has been conveyed.
Therefore, after a period of fermentation of public opinion, the issue of peaceful coexistence with the Turks or formal separation was finally placed at the forefront of the Sui Dynasty officials, and it also officially became the main issue today.
Yang Guang sat on the throne. After receiving the congratulations from all the civil and military officials, he said: "Your Majesty, please take a seat!"
"Thank you, saint!" The ministers below thanked Pingshen one after another and took their seats. For a time, the announcement of the government was completely silent, and you could hear the drop of a pin.
Yang Guang did not beat around the bush with everyone, and said straight to the point: "The personnel arrangements for the border counties some time ago were regular rotations, which is completely consistent with the policy of governing the country created by the late emperor, which is to replace each one at any time, and to level the country without promotion or demotion. .”
"It is true that some officials who were replaced did not serve for more than one term in the border counties. However, these officials have made dazzling political achievements in a very short period of time. Since they are honest and capable officials, they should be hired out of the ordinary. If they continue to be allowed to serve in the border counties, County, that is a waste of talent. However, the newly appointed officials have been serving in the hinterland for a long time and do not know the sufferings of the border people, so I let them go to the border counties to experience. This will be of no benefit to the Sui Dynasty, the people, and individuals. It's a harm. Other than that, I have no other intention." After a brief introduction, Yang Guang said duplicitously: "This is a normal move of our Sui Dynasty. Please don't over-interpret it; and the Turks actually don't need it. Worry! After all, our Sui Dynasty is a country of benevolence and righteousness, and a country of etiquette. How have we ever launched a war against a vassal country for no reason?" Ministers: I don't believe it!
If the Sui Dynasty was really a country of benevolence and righteousness, a state of etiquette, and if you were really a benevolent and merciful king, then what happened to the disappeared Yinwu Kingdom, Chuyue tribe, Tuyuhun, Xi tribe, and Xizhou taken from Gaochang?
What happened to Goguryeo that was about to disappear? Although it is said that everything happens for a reason, but the reason for each time is not caused by your brother?
Without your instigation, would Yang Ji dare? And you are clearly going to sharpen your sword against the Turks, but now you say this, do you believe it yourself?
At this time, Yang Guang changed his tone and said with some insincerity: "I have also heard some rumors and know that some people advocate peaceful coexistence and some advocate war. This matter should be discussed by everyone." On the issue of Turks, the differences are actually not big. There is only the difference between war and peace.
It's just that the faction advocating peaceful coexistence is good at building momentum. In addition, they describe the move of the Turks to unite the grassland tribes to pay tribute to the Sui Dynasty as a manifestation of Qimin Khan's respect and infinite loyalty to the Sui Dynasty, thus completely losing their momentum. The main fighting faction was suppressed.
Now, except for some important ministers who have not expressed their opinions directly, the voice of peaceful coexistence has become overwhelming in the court.
In particular, Li Yuantong, the Minister of Justice, was very good at taking advantage of the situation. Last year, Yang Ji met with the kings of the Western Regions on behalf of the Sui Dynasty in Xizhou County, Liangzhou. He proposed to the kings present at the meeting
The nine principles include "mutual respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity, mutual non-aggression, non-interference in each other's internal affairs, mutual benefit and reciprocity, peaceful coexistence, and cultural sharing...".
The promulgation of the "Nine Principles of Peaceful Coexistence" calmed down the restless countries in the Western Regions, making everyone think that the Sui Dynasty had no intention of advancing westward, and became a vassal state of the Sui Dynasty with peace of mind.
When Li Yuantong talked about the Turks, he used the "Nine Principles of Peaceful Coexistence" as the background for peaceful coexistence in a pretentious manner. Some officials also expressed their stance on the forum one after another, waving the flag for peace. Once someone objected, they directly said
"The countries in the Western Regions have become stable and loyal because of this. Do you think King Wei is right?" The opponents could not afford to offend Yang Ji and did not dare to offend Yang Ji, so they died down instantly.
For example, at this time, Minister Youcheng and Sima Li Gang of the Prince of Qi held the wat tablet and came out of the squad to play: "Sage, if a war breaks out between the two countries, millions of people will fall into the suffering of the war, and countless soldiers will die. In the flames of war, countless people will lose their sons, husbands, and fathers. Therefore, using weapons indiscriminately will destroy lives and harm countless lives. If you use kindness and righteousness to influence enemies and foreigners, you can avoid huge harm. Instead of going to war, it is better to Benevolent and righteous, good at teaching. And the Eastern Turks are our Sui vassal state, and Qimin Khan is the great khan who was established by our Sui Dynasty. He is grateful at heart and has always been friendly to our Sui Dynasty, paying tribute continuously. This time, he has paid tribute to us in the Sui Dynasty with so many goods, which shows his loyalty." Li Gang said with great righteousness, and he revealed a sense of Confucianism's admiration for it.
"Haoran is righteous." After he elaborated his point of view, he then bowed to Yang Guangshen and said with sincerity: "We sincerely ask the saint to accept what the courtier said, and based on the "Nine Principles of Peaceful Coexistence" proposed by King Wei, and The Eastern Turks negotiate the border and withdraw their troops and return to the court. This is a good strategy for the country and the people."
"Sage, what Li Youcheng said is absolutely true!" Xue Daoheng, the official of Sili, came out with a solemn expression. He cupped his hands to Yang Guang and said: "The old minister also thought that the conclusion of an alliance between the two countries and the dismantling of the border troops would allow us, the Sui Dynasty, to fight against the Turkic people. We will suffer the pain of war again." Wei Shikang, the gray-haired minister of the Ministry of Rites, also said: "Sage, Mencius, the sub-sage, said, 'He who convinces others with strength is not convinced by his heart, nor his strength. He who convinces others by virtue will be sincerely convinced. Ye'. We, the Sui Dynasty, are the orthodox people in the world. We should inherit the legacy of our ancestors and treat our subjects with kindness and righteousness, so that they can be sincerely convinced and sincerely convinced, instead of killing...Killing will only make them violently resist." Then, some civil servants came out one after another. Lie agreed, and their purposes were all very similar. They simply suggested that the Sui Dynasty should adhere to the so-called sages' wishes, coexist peacefully with its friends, and not use weapons without authorization.
Yang Guang has read hundreds of classics and history books, and his understanding of the classics of the hundreds of schools is no less than that of the civil servants present; especially the process of changing from the king of Jin to the prince made him understand the meaning of each classic in the hundreds of schools of thought. The perceptions are different; now that he is a high-ranking emperor, his understanding and interpretation have naturally undergone tremendous changes.
Looking at these pedantic people who quoted out of context, Yang Guang had only one thought in his mind, and that was trouble!
So annoying! If it weren’t for these pedantic people who used to go around saying that the late emperor did not respect Confucianism, if it weren’t for the need for these people to decorate the appearance, or if it wasn’t for the need for these people to resume their studies,
"Platform", Yang Guang had already kicked them out of the court. Seeing the voice of peace filling the court, Yang Guang was noncommittal and looked at the prime ministers in the council hall below. He found that Su Wei had his eyes closed and was indifferent, like an old monk in meditation. Yang Guang couldn't help but frown and asked: " Su Qing, as the founding father and prime minister who has been in charge of state affairs for many years, you have a high opinion of war and peace, right?" Su Wei knew that the emperor didn't like him and regarded himself as a thorn in his flesh. If he made the emperor uncomfortable again, he would lose his position as prime minister. There was no way he could keep it. In view of this understanding, he kept his doors closed these days to thank guests, and did not see anyone who came to visit him, let alone participate in this event.
In the debate about "war and peace". Who would have thought that after being so honest, the emperor would actually call his name?
Hearing this, Su Wei couldn't help but trembled. He glanced quickly and almost exploded with anger.
Good guy! Gao Jun, Yang Xiong, Xiao Jue, Li Ziquan, Zhang Heng, Yang Da, Yang Yue and others all looked like they were thinking hard. Compared with them, they undoubtedly became unique and special beings. No wonder the emperor named himself!
Facing Yang Guang's gaze, Su Wei felt a tragic feeling in his heart, but after all, he was a roly-poly in the officialdom, and he knew how to deal with it.
In the blink of an eye, people stood up and came out of the queue, saluted Yang Guang and said: "Sage, the strategic concept proposed by General Changsun of 'diplomating far away and attacking close, separating the strong and joining the weak; using barbarians to control barbarians and dividing the Turkic Khanate' is applicable to this time. The Eastern Turks and the grassland tribes. If we, the Sui Dynasty, continue to have friendly exchanges with the grassland tribes based on the "Nine Principles of Peaceful Coexistence", then the Eastern Turks and the grassland tribes, which are free from foreign enemies and invasions, will definitely have endless disputes. I, the Sui Dynasty, are in the grassland. When the various tribes are in war, they work hard to improve people's livelihood and assimilate the Xihai and Andong Protectorate. When the grassland tribes decide the winner, the winning side will have little strength left. Even if the other side betrays its faith and invades our border, we The Sui Dynasty can also calmly annihilate it with its strong military and national power." He glanced at Yang Guang and expressed his opinion: "In view of this, I believe that the Sui Dynasty should regard peace as the most important thing." This is also the meeting hall. For the first time, the prime minister clearly stated his attitude, which was far more powerful than the arguments among his ministers.
When Su Wei said this, all the civil and military officials in the palace had different thoughts. Yang Guang understood that Su Wei was cheating again. His words seemed very reasonable and correct, but in fact they were just general remarks and did not address the issue at all.
"Essence" - The property that Qimin Khan paid tribute was indeed unprecedented, so much that even he was shocked. However, Qimin Khan secretly changed the concept here: First, Qimin Khan planned to unite with the grassland. All ministries paid tribute, rather than being completed by the Eastern Turks alone; if the imperial court accepted this tribute, Qimin Khan could squeeze and annihilate Xue Yantuo, Xue Hubu, Huihe, and Qigu who opposed him in the name of the Sui Dynasty. , South Shiwei, and North Shiwei, thus unifying the grasslands.
The second is that Qimin Khan condescended to others and confused the public. In the end, the short-sighted people in the Sui Dynasty really thought that he was loyal to the Sui Dynasty, and then sang praises for him like a dog, saying that he was loyal and benevolent, and the Sui Dynasty deserved it. Treat him kindly.
From the current point of view, Qimin's goal has been achieved. Even his silly son Yang Jian could see these two profound meanings of Qimin Khan. Yang Guang didn't believe that Su Wei, an old fox, didn't know.
But now, Su Wei ignored it lightly. However, Yang Guang did not argue with him. He just turned his attention to Gao Jiong and asked, "Where is Gao Qing? What do you think?" When Gao Jiong heard Yang Guang's call for information, he quickly stood up and saluted: "Sage, I think this is enlightenment." The civilian Khan's intentions and motives for paying tribute are not pure. Peaceful coexistence requires careful consideration. Our government must not be fooled by him for small gains. However, the war is a major matter for the country, the place of life and death, and the survival of the country. We must carefully observe, analyze, and study whether we, the Sui Dynasty, will go to war with the Eastern Turks. In addition, we, the Sui Dynasty, look down upon the poverty-stricken and troubled north. Grassland, if we rush to war and use our Sui army to defeat the Eastern Turks, then the ultimate beneficiary will be the Tiele tribes, not our Sui Dynasty!" After a pause, Gao Jiong said again: "Now , everyone makes generalizations and echoes what others say, everyone relies on the words of sages and the "Nine Principles of Peaceful Coexistence" as basis, but they ignore the reality of differences among people, adapting measures to local conditions, and taking advantage of the situation, which is really undesirable. .”
"I have heard King Wei say before that 'Concrete issues should be analyzed in detail, and everything should not be generalized, otherwise it will mislead people and the country.' Master Wang will return to court before we can make a final decision?" Yang Guang didn't like hearing this last sentence and was very unhappy, and his face became a little ugly.
When something goes wrong, he will look for King Wei to take care of him; when nothing happens, he will call him a traitor who has harmed the country. How can such a good thing happen in this world?
If everything has to wait for King Wei and King Wei has to do everything, what use do I need from you? When you were fighting for power, why didn't you talk about King Wei?
