Zhang Daan looked at his old house that had been empty for a long time, rolled up his sleeves, opened the door and walked into the house. What he saw was a piece of furniture covered in dust.
Open all the windows, fetch water from the well and spread it in the corner of the house to start cleaning.
This house that had not been occupied for a long time actually started to be tidied up, and neighbors all around looked over.
It has been several years since Duke Zou Guo left Chang'an City. Now that the courtyard gate has been reopened, it naturally attracted a lot of attention.
But I just came over to take a look out of curiosity. A familiar neighbor saw that it was Da'an and informed the neighbors.
After cleaning up until after noon, Zhang Daan wiped his sweat, walked out of the house again, and went to Chunming Gate in Chang'an City to rush to Lishan to meet the county magistrate.
Li Yifu had been here a long time ago. He seemed to have just woken up from drunkenness, and he was still in a daze while sitting on the horse.
Zhang Xiangxiang, Zhang Dashu and Xu Jingzong are already here.
Seeing this, Zhang Daan got on his horse and everyone set off from Chunming Gate together.
In Lishan, when he learned that Da'an was back, Zhang Yang pushed the teacher all the way to the entrance of the village. His wife hurriedly went out with a bag of clothes that had been made.
Zhang Yang whispered: "Da'an might have to deal with matters in the court, so he won't come to the village so soon."
Zhang Gongjin whispered: "It doesn't matter, just wait a little longer."
Da'an has been away from home for three years. I don't know how he came here in these three years. The teacher and his wife must have a lot to ask.
This is the heart of a parent, always caring about his child, no matter how stupid and ineffective the child is.
Zhang Yang smiled sadly and waited at the entrance of the village with his wife and teacher.
A group of people came towards Lishan. Zhang Gongjin looked from a distance and could only see the figures on the horses. He smiled and said: "Da'an is here."
Just a vague figure can be confirmed to be their son. This is how parents know their children.
When the group of people got closer, they finally reached the front.
Zhang Daan grabbed the horse's reins and hurriedly turned over and dismounted, "Mom and Dad."
As soon as she finished speaking, the teacher's wife covered her mouth with tears streaming down her face, "You are finally back."
Zhang Daan smiled and said: "My child has been thinking about his parents all these years."
Zhang Gongjin nodded and said, "Well, I'm calmer and I've lost weight."
The teacher's wife grabbed Da'an's arm and looked him up and down, "Well, he has lost weight and has a beard."
The teacher and his wife had a lot to say to Daan. Zhang Yang looked at Xu Jingzong and Li Yifu, as well as the elephant and Dasu in front of him.
The Ministry of Rites has developed to this point. It seems that these people can make the Ministry of Rites operate smoothly without having to intervene in it.
Xu Jingzong bowed and said: "The county prince, the King of Goguryeo and Yeon Gaesumun will arrive in Chang'an in two days."
Zhang Yang nodded and said, "Yeah."
Li Yifu looked at the county prince who was about the same age as him, and immediately bowed and saluted, "I have met the county prince."
Looking at this figure who was rumored to be a human-cat in history, he didn't look like a human-cat, and his conversation was very polite.
Wearing a pale crimson official robe, he is now a fifth-rank official in the court.
Xu Jingzong explained: "Now Li Yifu is the young minister of Honglu Temple in the court."
The official position of Honglu Temple was based on the official positions of the former Sui Dynasty. The Tang Dynasty followed the Sui system in many places.
Many official positions have been retained. It can be regarded as an official residence under the Ministry of Rites. Honglu Temple is responsible for receiving envoys from various countries, people coming to the Tang Dynasty from afar and tribute envoys. It is responsible for welcoming and receiving, and is responsible for arranging their travel locations.
However, in the early years of Zhenguan, due to the confirmation from the Central Government, this official residence had been idle, and the specific matters were arranged by the Ministry of Rites.
Listening to Xu Jingzong's story, now Da'an has become the minister of Honglu Temple, and Li Yifu has become the young minister of Honglu Temple. It seems that the emperor wants to give the power to the ritual department.
But Da'an still serves as the Minister of Rites after all, so he doesn't need to worry about this worry now.
Everyone stood still, Xu Jingzong talked about the current affairs of Goguryeo.
Because they came to Chang'an to report on their duties, Zhang Da'an and Li Yifu arrived first. Behind them were the King of Goguryeo and Yeon Gaesumun, and they brought with them some of the bones of former Sui soldiers who had stayed in Goguryeo.
These bones are all soldiers from the Central Plains, and they are also good men from the Central Plains. Naturally, these bones must be brought back. This is a kind of spirit and a kind of homecoming.
This is what Li Shimin has always been concerned about. These soldiers fought to regain Goguryeo and buried their bones in a foreign land. It was only after nearly thirty years that these bones were recovered.
After Zhang Daan finished talking to his teacher and his wife, he explained: "Brother, how should we arrange the King of Goguryeo?"
Seeing everyone looking at him, Zhang Yang shook the cattail leaf fan in his hand and said, "Old Xu, what do you think?"
Xu Jingzong bowed his head and said, "Of course I want him to apologize."
Li Elephant added: "Let him make amends in the Tai Chi Hall."
"This is not enough." Li Yifu took a step forward and said: "This King of Goguryeo is cowardly and inactive, which has led to the chaos in Goguryeo by Yeon Gaesumun. I have the guts to say something."
Looking at the faces of everyone present, Li Yifu added: "We should abolish the identity of the King of Goguryeo, support a new king in Goguryeo, and build the Andong Protectorate in the future, and implement the state, prefecture and county system in Goguryeo, with officials from the Central Plains take over."
Zhang Yang observed and Li Yifu were present. Xu Jingzong, the Minister of Rites, and the rest were all ministers of the Ministry of Rites.
Li Yifu was just a small literary official, at best a young minister of Honglu Temple, so he still had the courage to talk in front of the three ministers and the Minister of Rites.
It is enough to show that this person is eager for utilitarianism.
The teacher and his wife took Elephant, Dasu, and Daan into the village first, and the family was finally reunited.
Only Xu Jingzong and Li Yifu were left in front of them.
Zhang Yang has also been involved in the officialdom of the Tang Dynasty for so many years. He has some connections but almost no power. He has been an official for seven years and he is considered a veteran in the officialdom.
Inexplicably, he felt in his heart that the power of Li Yifu would even be greater than his own in the future.
Of course, there is Xu Jingzong above Li Yifu. Old Xu also has utilitarianism, but his utilitarianism is not as sharp as Li Yifu's.
For a person like Li Yifu, as long as you give him a ladder, he will kick everyone down and climb up on his own.
But Li Yifu didn't know what kind of person he was facing, and what kind of monster Zhang Yang was.
In the long river of history, people like Li Yifu are just a drop in the ocean. There are too many people like him.
Zhang Yang smiled and said, "What do you think, Lao Xu?"
Xu Jingzong frowned and said: "Brother Yifu is right. Goguryeo has been in turmoil since ancient times, and because of the lack of control in Liaodong, this happened. He took away the identity of the King of Goguryeo and demoted him to a commoner. The court There will definitely be criticism."
Hearing what Xu Jingzong said, Li Yifu suddenly came to his senses and immediately understood Xu Jingzong's worries. He quickly said: "It's because I didn't think carefully. What Xu Shangshu said is more far-sighted. What I worry about is something I didn't think of. I will have to worry about it in the future." Ask Shangshu Xu for advice."
Zhang Yang couldn't help but laugh in his heart. This Li Yifu was really a human cat, and he began to show his humble and flattering attitude so quickly.
"How's Wen Ting doing?"
This Wen Ting is the son of Mr. Wen Yanbo. Because of the old man's words, he took his followers and rushed to Liaodong without saying a word.
As worthy of being the son of an old man, he went to Liaodong for his family and country without hesitation.
Li Yifu lowered his head and explained: "Brother Wen Ting learned the news of the old man's death after we captured Goguryeo. Later, Xiaguan and Da'an rectified the affairs of Goguryeo. Brother Wen Ting has been wearing sackcloth and mourning, and after returning to Liaodong , along the way he went to his ancestral land to pay homage to the old man in person, and then returned to Liaodong. Now it seems that he has probably crossed the river and gone to Goguryeo."
Zhang Yang listened to his words, but what he didn't say was that Wen Ting was very angry after learning the news of the old man's death, and led his people to kill people indiscriminately in Baekje.
Of course, not many people knew about this matter, but after killing a few Baekje people who made trouble, it would be easy for the Ministry of Rites to suppress these matters.
Zhang Yang drew a circle on the ground and said in a low voice: "I have been reading classics recently, from Shang Jun Lun to Su Qin Zhuan."
As soon as he finished speaking, Li Yifu looked shocked. With Lishan County Marquis Jin's current status and such a huge family fortune, he still needs to read so many classics? I have seen Su Qin from Shang Jun Lun.
I secretly admired him a little more in my heart. He was already a county prince and a person of great importance to your majesty. He could still study so hard. It was enough to see the hard work of this county prince.
Li Yifu also saw many people who entered the officialdom during the imperial examination. Most of them studied hard before the imperial examination. After the imperial examination, they burned the books as firewood, because these people had already entered the officialdom, and those books were the source of their pain. They tore them up happily. , quickly after burning.
But what the human cat didn't know was that Zhang Yang read those books when he had nothing to do. Don't doubt how many boring things a boring person would do. He read most of the Hanshu Shiji.
In the Tang Dynasty, when spiritual life was not rich, reading became the only pastime. From the original Prince's East Palace, we saw Chongde Fang, and then from Chongde Fang, we saw His Majesty's treasury.
Not to mention a well-read person, he is quite knowledgeable, and he is especially interested in records from various places in ancient times.
For example, the land in Lingnan where prisoners were exiled was not a barren land.
Sichuan is the granary of the Central Plains, and it is not a remote place because the road to Shu is difficult.
Zhang Yang's words continued, "Around the Bohai Sea, there is Mount Tai in the south, Langye in the east, Qinghe in the west, and Bohai in the north. This is the land of the four fortresses. The Bohai Sea is connected with the Yellow Sea, starting from Liaodong in the north and Liaodong in the south. Laizhou, with Goguryeo in the east, and more than 20,000 miles along the coast are rich lands, and fishermen make their living from the sea. Shouldn’t these rich lands be in our hands?”
Following Zhang Yang's words, Xu Jingzong frowned and thought for a while and then said: "Does the county prince mean to also capture Silla and Baekje?"
Zhang Yang grinned, "You better understand quickly. I will rely on you more in the future for the Ministry of Rites."
Xu Jingzong lowered his body and said, "I will definitely go all out."
Li Yifu added: "The people of Baekje are just barbarians. I went to the territory of Baekje when I was in Goguryeo. They mostly lived in villages. They had few soldiers and not many villages. The king of Baekje often looked at Goguryeo's face. In the past, when Yeon Gaesomun was unhappy, he would lead troops to attack Baekje."
Be it Baekje, let alone Silla, Goguryeo was naturally the most powerful in that land. Goguryeo was also the most powerful in that land.
There is also a place where Yeon Gae So-moon can show his prestige.
People like him dared to provoke Liaodong in the Tang Dynasty, let alone Silla and Baekje.
Li Yifu said in a low voice: "County Marquis, if there was no order from the court to recall him, Xianguan and Da'an brothers would have marched into Baekje."
Opening up territory for the Tang Dynasty is the highest achievement. With the current folk customs of the Tang Dynasty, people naturally compete to be the first.
Zhang Yang looked at the circle he had drawn. Now it seemed that Baekje and Silla were just a group of barbarians, and it would be easy to capture them.
Since it is a piece of cake, why not win it?
Xu Jingzong had doubts in his heart, "The county prince, if you attack Silla Baekje now, it will inevitably cause criticism from the DPRK and China."
Zhang Yang sighed: "The minds of these civil servants are really dirty. They are finding fault all day long, and they will impeach them for even the slightest violation of the rules."
Li Yifu smiled sarcastically.
The fact is that since Li Shimin wanted to open up his voice, the spring of the officials has arrived. Their eyes are fixed on the emperor. Even if the emperor's words and deeds are slightly wrong, these people will come out and point fingers.
Of course, the most outstanding one among them is Wei Zheng, who rose to the rank of Duke by scolding the emperor.
Zheng Gong has now become a role model for civil servants in the Tang Dynasty.
This situation is good, at least it can create a positive atmosphere.
Li Yifu said in a low voice: "Xu Shangshu, I think this matter is easy to handle. Every time you send troops to the Tang Dynasty, you need a reason. The so-called division is famous, we can just find a reason. Brother Wen Ting is currently in charge of Goguryeo. With strong troops and horses, Baekje and Silla are small territories, and we can take them in three to five days."
"I'm afraid that there will be another Lingnan king, just like Feng Ang back then. This man was brave and good at fighting. Emperor Wen of the Sui Dynasty named him the prefect of Hanyang. Later, when he learned about the war in the late Sui Dynasty, someone suggested that Feng Ang occupy the important land of Lingnan and proclaim himself king."
Later, Feng Ang really occupied the important territory in Lingnan, but he did not officially become the king.
This created a huge hidden danger for the Tang Dynasty, and there were many far-sighted people in the court at that time. In the fifth year of Wude, Feng An was afraid of Li Jing, so he handed over the land of several states in Lingnan. Later, in the early years of Zhenguan, he came to Chang'an and recalled his own son.
Since then, the Lingnan crisis in Datang has been resolved.
The same thing applies to Wen Ting. Now we can get rid of a Goguryeo king, but who will believe that Wen Ting will not become the second Feng An when he is in charge of Goguryeo.
Zhang Yang still believed in the character of Mr. Wen Yanbo's son.
There is nothing wrong with suspicions in the DPRK, but if you keep guessing like this, you are on guard against me, and I am on guard against you. If this is not the case, it will be the opposite. How can we develop? How to expand the territory?
With these thoughts in mind, Zhang Yang added: "I will personally send a letter to Wen Ting and ask him to capture Silla and Baekje within a month and build warships."
Xu Jingzong said loudly: "Here."
There are risks involved, huge risks.
If the court knew about it, it would definitely lead to many impeachments. Li Yifu found that he had already boarded the ship of the Ministry of Rites.
If this ship capsizes, his future will be ruined.
His heart skipped a beat and he said loudly: "Here!"
For the sake of career, he has the same cruel heart as Xu Jingzong, that is, he will do whatever he says.
