In the fourth year of Shaoming Dynasty, AD 949, the fifteenth day of the first lunar month was the Shangyuan Festival.
Zhang Gao sent Cao Sanniang's wife Yan Nai who was frightened in the Luoyang Incident, Cao Yuanzhong who was almost killed by Cao Renzun in the Chang'an Incident, Luo Yu'er who withstood a great test, and Cao Yuanzhong who was even worse than Cao Yuanzhong, who only missed death by a hair Zhao Kuangzan summoned to Chengde Mansion.
Zhang Gao summoned them here to appease them. Except for Yan Nai, the third wife, who is an accomplice of Zhang Shengren, the other three were all victims of his fishing operations. Their lives were almost lost. They must give an explanation.
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Along with Mrs. Cao Sanniang, there were also the eldest daughter Princess Baoding and her younger brothers and sisters. Among Zhang's children, all those over ten years old who could withstand the long journey also came over. .
These princes and princesses are no longer young, but many of them have never traveled far. At most, they only come and go in the two cities of Luoyang and Kaifeng.
This is not possible, they should still be allowed to experience this great river and mountain more.
As soon as the two sons and three daughters, who were over ten years old, arrived, they saw the mighty and domineering side of me, Saint Zhang.
When they arrived, heavy snow was flying like cotton wool, and the entire Lion Peak in Chengde Prefecture was covered in silver. In such weather, it was naturally most comfortable to stay in the Rehe Palace.
Although the palace is not big, it has natural floor heating with hot springs surging underground, and there is also a special hot spring where you can soak in the hot springs in the ice and snow.
Zhang Yan first took a beautiful hot spring bath with his sons, and then held a grand banquet.
This banquet was to see off Li Jingda, the brother of Li Jing, the leader of the Southern Tang Dynasty, and Han Xizai, the envoy of the Southern Tang Dynasty.
The standard of the banquet was very high, and Zhang Yan also spoke highly of Han Xizai, and asked his third son Zhang Xianzhao to ask Han Xizai for advice on the inscriptions on inscriptions on inscriptions that he was very good at.
It is difficult to evaluate the level of governance of this famous official of the Southern Tang Dynasty who is famous for his "Han Xizai Night Banquet", but he is indeed a very famous writer and poet, and his character also has merits.
On the left side of Han Xizai is Li Jingda. After he followed Zhang Yan to Mobei, he seemed to be a different person. The heroic style of his ancestors in the Han and Tang Dynasties had completely awakened in him.
When he learned that Liu Renzhan dared to take advantage of the situation and that his brother Li Jing acquiesced, Li Jingda was extremely anxious.
He wanted to return to Jiangning as soon as possible to persuade his brother Li Jing to give up all his fantasies and go to Kaifeng Mansion in Tokyo to become a wealthy poet. After all, what his brother loved most was singing poems with a group of literati.
And Han Xizai actually still had some illusions. Although Zhang Yan took the princes and princesses to hold a farewell banquet for him with a super-standard family banquet, Han Xizai kept talking about how the Southern Tang Dynasty was a respectful minister, and the leader of the country, Li Jing served the dynasty with the utmost respect, and it was true that he was not guilty.
This person is quite good at building momentum. He has only been in Chengde Mansion for about twenty days, but he has already created an image of Li Jing as a submissive, cautious person who serves the great dynasty like his father. He has earned a lot of money for nothing. Less sympathy and compassion.
Even Zhang Zhou's officials felt that the Southern Tang Dynasty should not be conquered, because Li Jing seemed to be really submissive!
Submissive? Without Liu Renzhan's appearance, it would be very respectful indeed.
Since the first year of Shaoming, that is, three years ago in 946 AD, after being subdued by Zhang Gao, Li Jing and Zhang Gao's aunt Empress Dowager Ciyou, biological mother Empress Dowager Cisheng, Zhang Gao himself and Queen Cao Yanxi every four o'clock and eight festivals On someone's birthday, officials above the rank of minister are sent as birthday congratulators, and gifts are often numerous.
Last year, on Zhang's birth mother Song's birthday, Li Jing presented the Ruyi gold and jade statue of Guanyin Bodhisattva in the South China Sea, which was deeply loved by the Empress Dowager Cisheng and became her treasure.
The Empress Dowager Cisheng also gave back Buddhist statues, Buddhist beads, etc. to Li Jing's wife, Queen Zhong. Zhong took the opportunity to call the Song family "Aniang". The relationship was very close and they corresponded with each other almost every month.
The Internal Visitor Supervisor of the Ministry of Internal Affairs once calculated an account. In the past three years, the value of Li Jing's gifts and other gifts to Ouchi exceeded 300,000 yuan.
This won the favor of almost everyone around Zhang Jing, except for the three strong women, Empress Dowager Ciyou Li, Cao Sanniang, and aunt Li Ruoliu. Even Queen Cao Yanxi said that Li Jing was extremely respectful and good at conducting herself.
Li Jing never defaulted on the annual tribute payment. Whenever the Spring and Autumn taxes of the Southern Tang Dynasty came up, he immediately paid the tribute payment to Zhang Zhou in accordance with the original agreement.
The amount exceeds 500,000 guan each year and approaches 2 million guan in three years.
I have to admit, this is really respectful! Li Jing's benefits from the small political power of the Southern Tang Dynasty every year should not be as much as Zhang Jing's.
If Li Jing were not the lord of the Southern Tang Dynasty, but was the lord of the peninsula or a ghost island, Zhang Yan would be willing to give him the highest honor, give him the surname Zhang, and recognize him as his younger brother.
It's just a pity that Li Jing, the Southern Tang Dynasty, occupied the land south of the Yangtze River, the territory of the country that was destined to be recovered.
So when he heard that Han Xizai was still making excuses for Li Jing's submissiveness, and some people still took it seriously, Zhang Yan decided to change this trend.
Han Xizai stroked his beautiful beard that hung down to his chin. He felt that his 'diplomatic activities' were very successful. At least the image of the Southern Tang Dynasty, as a submissive vassal, was deeply implanted in the hearts of the Zhou Dynasty's monarchs and ministers, even the emperor. Too big a refutation of what he said.
When he was about to take advantage of the opportunity and once again reinforce this understanding in the emperor's mind, Zhang Hao waved his hand to stop Han Xizai's tirade, and Zhang Hao asked Han Xizai directly.
"Han Qing thinks that I am taller than Emperor Qin and Han Dynasty. How about the former Emperor Taizong?"
Of course, Han Xizai wanted to praise Zhang Yan, and he replied loudly: "The remaining warriors of the sixth generation of the First Emperor, Fen, encompassed the whole world and were the founders of the emperor's career.
However, he has the foundation forged by the previous kings of the Qin Kingdom, and his politics are too rough. He is not as good as a saint who started from scratch in a remote place in Hexi and practiced benevolent government.
Although Han Gao also started from a young age and became the world leader in four years, he acted too casually and was surrounded by Bai Deng. It was not as good as His Majesty sweeping across the desert.
Only Emperor Taizong Wen of the previous dynasty was as good as a saint in terms of literary, political, and martial arts, but he had the stain of Xuanwu Sect, so he was slightly inferior to a saint. "
"Well said!" Zhang Hao seemed very happy, but he changed the topic, "You said that these three heroes are inferior to me, but in my opinion, I am far inferior to them.
Because it has been sixteen years since I raised my army, thirteen years since I first entered Guanzhong, and three years since I expelled the Khitan barbarians.
Is there a founding hero in this world who has not unified the world for sixteen years? "
Han Xizai actually realized something was wrong when Zhang Yan was halfway through his words. When he heard what Zhang Yan said, he immediately fell to the ground and shouted loudly.
"Now in the world, Southern Tang and Wu Yue are all subordinates of His Majesty. The only ones who have not yet surrendered are Lingnan and Han."
"Subordinate? Okay!" Zhang Hao shouted, "Then I will give the order now, and let Li Jing come to Chengde Mansion immediately to pay homage. Or change the title of Southern Tang Kingdom to Anton."
Han Xizai didn't dare to answer this, and he didn't know how to answer it.
However, Zhang Yan would not let him go just like that. I, Saint Zhang, stretched out my right halberd and pointed it at Han Xizai: "You, Han Shuyan, also read the books of sages. Don't you know that the world is unified and the gold is intact?
Mencius once said that the people are the most valuable, the country is second, and the king is the least important.
Now the world has been in chaos for two hundred years, and the people are in dire straits. Today you kill me, and tomorrow I will kill you. Can't you see the two-legged sheep by the Yellow River and the vegetables in Yangzhou City in the past?
A certain man came from Hexi, and for sixteen years he did not shy away from the sword. What he did was to revive the dynasty, unify the world, and let the people live a peaceful life.
Li Jing is indeed respectful. When he comes to Luoyang, I treat him as my younger brother. But this world must be unified.
Compared with the peace and happiness of all the people in the world, his little Southern Tang Sheji and little Southern Tang King are as light as a feather! "
What a secretly changed concept. The Southern Tang Dynasty, co-authored by Li Jing, is the second best, and the leader of the Southern Tang Dynasty is the light and airy king. Isn't this Zhou Zhou? But no one who is not afraid of death would dare to say that.
Of course Han Xizai didn't dare, and he knew that justice was indeed in Zhang Gao's hands. Ever since the Shaoming saint expelled the Khitan thieves and settled the Central Plains, the Southern Tang Dynasty had lost its justice.
Now Emperor Shao Ming is sweeping across the desert, sealing the wolf as his vassal, and making all the tribes outside the Great Wall surrender. The Southern Tang Dynasty has no legal basis for its existence.
Han Xizai couldn't argue and could only cry on the ground, "Everyone in the world knows that the power of the saint is irresistible. Naturally, our Lord also knows that, and he has no intention of daring to challenge the great powers. He only wants to live in the south of the Yangtze River and preserve the country.
Even if I survive for one more day, I am worthy of my ancestors who overcame thorns and thorns. Now that I am respectful, can't the saint forgive me for a while? "
Zhang Gao waved his hand, and the long sleeves of his broad robe hit the clothes, like the sound of wind and thunder, "The Southern Tang Dynasty is connected to Jianghuai in the north, Wuyue in the south, on my left and right.
Jiangnan is not guilty, and Li Jing is not guilty, but how can others be allowed to sleep soundly on the side of the bed!
Go back and tell Li Jing that if you can come north, he will be my brother. If you dare to resist stubbornly, under the thunder, there will be only fans! "
Han Xizai's face was full of fear, and all the envoys from the Southern Tang Dynasty who followed him turned pale. Even Li Jingda's expression changed drastically.
The faces of Zhou Guowen and Wenwu present were full of passion and ambition.
How can one allow others to sleep soundly on the side of the couch? This is the strongest voice Zhao Da has made in history, and it is the most domineering.
Today, Zhang Liang used it to sweep across Mobei, clearing away the power of decay in the country, and he was as full of pride as a huge wave.
Han Xizai cried loudly and said to his surroundings: "My ancestor lived on a salary of the Tang Dynasty in his previous life, and was greatly favored by Emperor Gao, his great ancestor, but he could not save the country. How can he face him after his death?"
After saying that, the envoys of the Southern Tang Dynasty cried loudly together with Han Xizai. Their cries were extremely miserable, and some even kowtowed repeatedly on the ground, with blood splattering on their foreheads.
Even if Li Jingda had the idea of persuading his brother to donate the family registration album, he could not help but burst into tears with sadness.
The surrounding civil and military ministers of the Zhou Dynasty all had unbearable expressions on their faces. In addition to killers like Luo Yu'er and Gao Huaide, even people like Yang Jiye were also infected by them.
Zhang Hao turned his head slightly and looked, and there were crystal tears rolling in Lady Cao Sanniang's eyes. She wondered if she was thinking of the situation she was in when she returned to the rebel army in the past. His daughters were even more miserable and were already in tears.
Woman! No matter how strong she is, she will always be infected by external emotions when she is not paying attention.
But I, Zhang Shengren, am different. He is very hard-hearted!
Zhang Gao stepped forward and helped Li Jingda up, leaving Han Xizai alone. This guy actually regarded the Southern Tang Dynasty built by Li Min as the continuation of the Later Tang Dynasty. What else is there to say.
Zhang Gao helped Li Jingda up and said, "Tai Shigong said that people are heavier than Mount Tai and lighter than feathers.
Although your family has to mourn for the country today, it can save the common people in the south of the Yangtze River from mourning and wearing mourning in the future. You should know that the former is like a feather, and the latter is like Mount Tai.
I vow to unify the world and rebuild the great dynasty. This heart is as iron as stone. Even though the sky is struck by thunder and the fire burns, it will never change!
Go back and persuade your brother to come to Tokyo and become a free king. I will leave him the title of King Wu so that he will never make a mistake. "
Li Jingda stood up with tears streaming down his face and nodded firmly, "A family crying is like a country crying. If I, the Li family, cry today, the people of Jiangnan will not have to cry tomorrow. I understand this truth."
Han Xizai was dumbfounded. The tragic offensive he had launched with all his strength was like an egg hitting a stone in the face of Zhang Gao's national justice.
