Because of the excitement and the blood boiling all over my body, writing and composition became a very simple thing.
Soon, the eloquent nearly a thousand-word invitation to fight was completed. Zhao Min packed the memorial and prepared to send someone to hand it over to Zhao Gou.
By chance, his teacher Shi Hao came to Zhao Hao's residence to check whether the homework that Zhao Gou had left for Zhao Hao before, that is, whether some simple government affairs were completed. As soon as he entered the palace, he saw Zhao Hao excitedly walking out. , as if he was going to do something big.
"Where do you want to go, His Royal Highness?"
"On the watch!"
Zhao Min raised his head and puffed out his chest, with a look of death on his face.
"On the watch?"
Shi Hao frowned and asked, "Your Highness, can you tell me what you want to do?"
"The Ming Dynasty bullied me too much! I heard that the Ming Dynasty's army has begun to take action, preparing to go south to invade the Song Dynasty if the Song Dynasty does not agree to the Ming Dynasty's conditions. How are these actions different from bandits? I once thought that the Ming Dynasty was a Han people's country, so it was inevitable Different from the Jin Kingdom, now it seems that the Ming Kingdom and the Jin Kingdom are actually the same species! Damn it!
More than 200 years have passed since the founding of the Song Dynasty. The country suffered a great disaster and could hardly stand on its own. Fortunately, my father was wise and brave and protected half of the Song Dynasty. Now my father is old and cannot go to the battlefield in person. As the crown prince, I have no shirk of responsibility! I want to invite a fight, I want to invite soldiers to the battlefield! Fight for your father! Fight for the Song Dynasty! "
Zhao Min's face was full of greatness and righteousness. After finishing a sentence, his whole body seemed to be shining with the light of righteousness, and an exciting music became his exclusive BGM.
But Shi Hao was horrified after hearing this. He quickly stepped forward and pressed Zhao Min's hand holding the watch. He shouted with horror on his face: "His Royal Highness is confused! How can you play this watch? You are like this." You are putting yourself on the fire to make His Majesty suspicious of you!"
Zhao Min was stunned.
"I want to fight for my country and my father. I will not risk my life for this, even if I die in battle! Why does my father doubt me?"
"Your Highness the Crown Prince! Since ancient times, there has never been a prince who has led an army on an expedition! Even if you are the prince, you are not yet the emperor. How can the emperor allow outsiders to get involved in the military power? If the prince really wants to lead the army, who can guarantee that the prince will go to war? Resist foreign enemies instead of going around in a circle and coming back directly to surround the capital and force the palace?"
With a look of hatred on his face, Shi Hao slapped the watch off Zhao Xin's hand and growled: "As soon as this watch comes on, your position as the crown prince will be unstable! It will be unstable!"
Zhao Xun was stunned. He loosened his hand and Shi Hao easily slapped the watch on the ground.
He reacted quickly.
Yes, since ancient times, where can there be an emperor who tolerates outsiders taking military power? Even if Zhao Hao grew up in the palace, he certainly knew that military power was the lifeblood of the emperor and would not be allowed to be interfered with by outsiders.
Anyone who dares to interfere with the emperor's military power is causing trouble for himself and will inevitably be jealous of the emperor, which will lead to more tragic consequences, even mutiny and coup.
Moreover, don't forget that Mr. Zhao Kuangyin, the founding emperor of the Song Dynasty, led his troops north to resist the enemy's invasion and turned his guns back to Beijing to force the palace. Finally, he became the emperor and captured the Song Dynasty General Mountain.
There is precedent for this.
So why is Zhao Song's family law so guarding against generals?
Here's why.
But there is a question - is the crown prince an outsider to the emperor?
Zhao Min also asked Shi Hao this way.
Shi Hao looked serious and did not hesitate.
"Except for the emperor himself, the emperor has no other people of his own. The so-called emperor is a solitary man!"
A loner.
These four words crushed Zhao Yan. He suddenly realized that he had almost done something to ruin himself in his passion. More than ten years of hard work and forbearance were almost destroyed in one day!
so close!
Zhao Xun suddenly began to pant rapidly, a large amount of cold sweat oozed from his back, and his forehead was covered with fine beads of sweat, regardless of the fact that it was the time of spring and cold.
He reached up and wiped the sweat from his forehead.
"Thanks for your reminder, otherwise I would have been dead."
"It's not like you have lost your head and body, but there will be suspicions about you, and your situation will become very dangerous!"
Shi Hao looked at Zhao Hao with complaint: "His Royal Highness the Crown Prince has always been calm and composed, how could he do such a thing? Is there a villain who is slandering His Highness? Which villain is so insidious? I, please kill him for His Highness the Crown Prince! "
"no no."
Zhao Xun quickly shook his head: "I decided to do this myself. After I heard about the Ming Dynasty's use of force to oppress the Song Dynasty, I was filled with indignation and couldn't control myself. I was so angry that I did such a thing. It's all What I do has nothing to do with others.”
Shi Hao looked at Zhao Min suspiciously.
"His Highness should not be so uncool at this time. His Highness should not be confused at this time. At this critical moment, what His Highness does can even determine the future direction of the Song Dynasty. You must be cautious! Absolutely! There can’t be a single mistake.”
Zhao Hao wiped away his cold sweat and looked at Shi Hao with some doubts.
"What does the gentleman mean... can I decide the future of the Song Dynasty?"
"Yes, Your Highness, you can decide the future of the Song Dynasty."
Seeing that there was no one around, Shi Hao pulled Zhao Hao back to his residence and drove out all his followers. After clearing the place, Shi Hao felt relieved and whispered to Zhao Hao in a lowered voice.
"Your Highness, what I want to say next may be a bit arrogant. If you are unhappy and want to kill me, I will have no complaints. But I must say this because I think you are the future of the Song Dynasty. I hope that it won’t be long before you can take charge of the Great Song Dynasty.”
Zhao Yan's pupils shrank, his eyes suddenly widened, and he was shocked.
"What do you mean by this sir? Why do you do this? I don't understand!"
Shi Hao said with a serious face: "Your Highness, what do you think the Song Dynasty's chances of winning would be if it really went to war with the Ming Dynasty?"
Zhao Yan was stunned for a moment.
"This... I think that as long as the Song Dynasty is united and works together, we will definitely be able to win. The Song Dynasty has a strong military and well-prepared soldiers, so it will not be defeated by the Ming Dynasty..."
Seeing Zhao Min's expression that he didn't believe what he said, Shi Hao shook his head helplessly.
"If this were the case, the Song Dynasty would not have been suppressed by the Jin Kingdom for thirty years. If the people's hearts were unified, the Song Dynasty would have been able to counterattack the Central Plains. Why can't the Song Dynasty counterattack now? Isn't it because the people's hearts are not unified?
Some people want to counterattack, and some people don't want to counterattack. Those who don't want to counterattack regard those who want to counterattack as enemies even more hateful than the Jin people. Not only do they not help, they also hinder the Northern Expedition and try their best to stop the Northern Expedition. The Jin Kingdom still needs to work hard to invade the south.
Because of the existence of these people, the veteran can conclude that under the current situation, once the Song Dynasty goes to war with the Ming Dynasty, the Song Dynasty army will undoubtedly be defeated. If you are not careful, it will still be a disastrous defeat! "
"How could this be?"
Zhao Xun was surprised and said: "Sir, why would you want to increase the ambition of others and destroy your own prestige? The Song Dynasty had 400,000 soldiers and many generals. How could it be defeated miserably? Even if there are people in the court who do not support it, it will not affect the battlefield. There must be people who support it."
"This is not about boosting others' ambitions and destroying one's own prestige, but it is a fact."
Shi Hao sighed and said with a wry smile: "It's just that the old minister also believes that countless facts have proved that the Song Dynasty is not incapable of winning battles, and the Song Dynasty's generals are not without bravery. It is really too much involved, too many constraints, and too many ideas, so there are so many wars. Failure, loss of troops and territory one after another, loss of power and humiliation of the country.
Let alone others, let’s just talk about Yue Fei. Back then, with an army of 100,000 from Beijing and Lake, he was able to make the Northern Expedition to Kaifeng, and defeated the armies of the Puppet Qi and the Jin Kingdom one after another. He was very famous, but in the end, did he succeed? He won on the battlefield, but lost in the court! "
Zhao Yan narrowed his eyes, was silent for a while, and then asked: "Sir, do you mean that the decisive battlefield is not the real battlefield, but the court?"
"It's not entirely true, but if the court wins, then there is a 60% chance of winning on the battlefield. On the other hand, if the court loses, there is no chance of winning on the battlefield."
Shi Hao whispered: "How good at fighting are Yue Fei and his troops? They were not defeated when facing the powerful Tiefu Tu of the Jin Kingdom. They marched forward with great success and marched to Kaifeng, forcing the Jin people to capture them without mercy.
But such a peerless warrior was recalled by the government, gave up the Northern Expedition, and eventually died in a court battle! He dare not not come back. The righteousness of the monarch and his ministers comes first, and food, fodder and military pay come later. There are too many people who don't want him to succeed in the Northern Expedition! "
Zhao Xin frowned.
Yue Fei died twenty years ago. At that time, he was still young, more than ten years old, and did not know much about it and was not involved in these things. However, he vaguely heard that Yue Fei died unjustly.
Many people privately believed that Yue Fei died unjustly, but Zhao Xun didn't know what exactly killed Yue Fei at the time.
When he grew up, he read books and consulted the notes of his contemporaries, and realized that Yue Fei's death was very involved and could not be explained in a few words. He was worried and did not dare to delve deeper, so he decided to put the matter aside for the time being and not get involved, so as not to get burned.
But now, this teacher who used to be the most prudent and protective of himself has taken the initiative to bring up such a sensitive case.
This is not normal.
"Teacher, I don't quite understand what you mean."
"War is never a separate confrontation between two armies. War is divided into two parts. One part is a head-on confrontation, and the other part is above the court. One part is the visible gold and iron horses, and the other part is the invisible dark clouds."
Shi Hao said slowly: "The defeat of the Song Dynasty was not determined by the fact that the army had not been in battle for a long time, nor was it determined by the generals' lack of pay and cowardice. It was also determined by whether the court was united, whether the people's hearts were united, whether Everyone wants to win, and that's important too.
Because the army fights on the front line, it is decided by the soldiers and generals, but the food and supplies, which are crucial to the army, are decided by the court in the rear. It is said that the three armies have not moved, food and grass go first. Whether the army can win depends on the court. It can be seen in the actions. "
"What about the action in the court?"
"The actions in the Ming Dynasty court were highly unified. The Ming Emperor's orders were smooth and consistent from top to bottom. From the time Xin Qiji returned north to the time when the Ming Dynasty army began to mobilize, it took less than a month. It was equivalent to the Ming Dynasty court operating at full speed, just preparing for war.
At present, the Ming army has moved far away from Zhongdu and has gathered in the Haizhou area. This is enough to prove that the Ming Dynasty has prepared enough food for this army, enough for the Ming army to move. Even if it is deliberate, the Ming court's determination is enough. Let Da Song tremble. "
Shi Hao took a deep breath and said slowly: "What about the Song Dynasty? What preparations did the Song Dynasty court make for this battle? What kind of determination did it make? After the army went to the front line, the supply of food and fodder could reassure the army. ?
No, they are even still arguing about whether this war is necessary. If this dispute continues, even if they win the war in the future, how to manage the captured land and whether to use the captured land will become an endless debate. ! "
Zhao Hao has some understanding of these issues, but due to his identity, he has never personally participated in the work. He does not have a deep understanding of these tasks, but only knows a name.
But he also knows what it means to move forward before the three armies have food and grass.
Through the actions of the two courts in the Ming and Song Dynasties, it is easy to judge who has a greater chance of winning this battle.
The Ming Dynasty has decided to fight, and the army has arrived at the front line, but the Song Dynasty is still arguing about whether to fight or not.
The army led by such a court is always in passive defense, and a war of passive defense is destined to be fought under pressure. If you win, you will not get any results. On the other hand, if you are not careful, it will be a disastrous defeat or a rout. Thousands of miles.
Zhao Min clenched his fists, his face full of unwillingness.
"Is it true that Da Song has no chance of winning?"
Shi Hao sighed.
"The old minister is very reluctant to admit it. The old minister also hopes that the Song Dynasty will get better and better. But at present, once the two sides go to war, the possibility of the Song Dynasty winning is very slim. The military power of the Ming Dynasty is far stronger than that of the Song Dynasty. This is a fact."
Zhao Min was unwilling to give up.
"General Liu Qi of Zhenjiang Prefecture is a famous general and a veteran general. He defeated the Jin army many times and achieved great military exploits. Isn't he capable of turning the tide?"
"It was possible back then, but not necessarily now. First, Liu Qi has been away from the army for more than ten years. His old troops were scattered and he has not been in contact with the army for a long time. It will take time for him to reintegrate his troops.
Liu Qi's ability to leave Zhenjiang Mansion this time was purely due to his previous transfer to prepare for Wan Yanliang. During this period, whether he can integrate the morale of the local army and make those troops obey his orders is still a question, and it is more serious. yes……"
Shi Hao whispered: "I heard from my acquaintances in the Privy Council that General Liu Qi is very seriously ill. He is already over sixty years old, and now he is even more ill. He has been lingering on the bed and has not recovered for a long time. What will happen next? It’s really hard to say.”
"General Liu Qi is sick?"
Zhao Min was shocked: "How could this happen? How could General Liu be sick when the two armies were about to fight?"
"Liu Qi is already old. This time he left the town because his predecessor Liu Bao, the governor of Zhenjiang Prefecture, was too mediocre and corrupt to win the trust of the court, so he tried his best. With the current situation like this, it is true that Liu Qi fell ill because of his hard work. It’s time to be loyal to the country.”
Shi Hao sighed and said slowly: "The Ming army concentrated its troops in Haizhou. It was obviously planning to cross the river from Haizhou south. The troops were directed towards Zhenjiang Prefecture and Jiankang Prefecture. On the front line along the river, the royal power was mediocre and Liu Qi fell ill. , and there is no suitable person to replace him, so how can we win this battle?"
"Sir, since you know this, why don't you change it? Why do you tell me here?"
Zhao Yan was quite anxious and said: "Sir, you should know the importance of these things. Telling father these things is better than telling me. Father can make improvements!"
"It's not that you don't want to change, but that you can't change. Your Highness, there are many people who know about this kind of thing. The minister's humble words are not enough to affect the overall situation. Although Your Highness has enough status, his status is sensitive and he should not express his attitude on military issues. , so this time, neither His Highness nor his ministers are able to change the outcome of the court and the war."
Shi Hao looked at Zhao Yu and said: "In every matter, there are wise men in the Great Song Dynasty who can see the fundamental problem. But the problem is that not all the court are wise men, nor are wise men in charge of the court. Your Highness, you understand that I Do you mean it?"
Zhao Min lowered his head, gritted his teeth, clenched his fists, and was filled with unwillingness.
"I understand what you mean, sir."
"That's good, so now let's get back to the question, and why I think His Highness is the hope for the future of the Song Dynasty."
Zhao Min was stunned and looked up at Shi Hao.
"What do you mean, sir?"
"Your Highness, if this battle is lost, what will happen next? Can Your Highness predict it?"
Shi Hao's tone did not fluctuate much, as if he was just talking about an ordinary thing.
Zhao Min frowned, and all kinds of thoughts flashed through his mind.
"It's nothing more than losing an army, losing territory, losing power and humiliating the country."
"What exactly?"
"I can think of all these things: cession of land, compensation, annual coins, and submission of ministers..."
Zhao Hao closed his eyes and sighed: "Isn't this how we treated the Kingdom of Jin back then? It's just that now a different group of people are stepping on the head of the Song Dynasty. The Song Dynasty still has to accept humiliating treatment, but I don't know This time it’s a king and a minister, a father and a son, or an uncle and nephew... My father is already old, how can he endure such humiliation?"
Thinking of this, Zhao Yan became excited again, clenched his hands into fists, and his heart was full of reluctance.
"Then what?"
"Then?"
"Who is responsible?"
Shi Hao's eyes flashed with an inexplicable brilliance, and he said: "Certaining land, indemnity, annual coins, and professing vassalage, which one does not bleed the Song Dynasty? Which one does not affect the whole body at a moment's notice? Once decided, it will inevitably cause a chain reaction?
Cut off the land, whose land is cut off? Which piece of land needs to be cut? How many people live here? Are there any officials in the DPRK whose hometowns are on this land? How many people's land holdings are located here? What would they think? How to do it?
indemnity? How much compensation? One hundred thousand guan? A million dollars? Or gold? silver? Who pays for this? The imperial court? The imperial court doesn’t have that much money, what if it can’t afford it? Who will come out? The army of the Ming Dynasty is right in front of us, and it will be sent out even if it cannot be afforded. Officials, gentry, and wealthy households, who will be unlucky?
The same is true for yearly coins. It is also money. Some people will be unlucky, and some people's interests will be harmed. Not to mention being a minister, such a big insult will bring another big insult to the Song Dynasty, which has just escaped from the clutches of the Jin Kingdom. How much dissatisfaction? "
"this……"
Zhao Yan blinked his eyes and opened his mouth, as if he wanted to say something, but when the words came to his lips, he didn't know how to express them.
Shi Hao didn't hesitate at all, his thinking was very clear.
"The consequences of defeat one after another are not ended by anyone who says he will bear them. The chain reactions caused by this are the most fatal. The anger and dissatisfaction of officials, the anger and dissatisfaction of the people, who To calm down?
The Ming army had just been defeated by the Ming army. The Ming Dynasty was so powerful that most people did not dare to point the finger directly at the Ming Dynasty. Strong men who were as strong as before had to buy time with the marriage strategy. Before that, they did not dare to break up with the Xiongnu, let alone Song Dynasty?
Well, then, there must be somewhere to vent the grievances of officials and people, right? If resentment and dissatisfaction accumulate and are not vented, how big of a problem will there be? How can we channel this resentment so that we can get through it safely without any danger? "
