Suide Army Yamen, Wang Ruohai hurriedly entered the official hall. He said to Wang Xiaolie: "Fuzhou Zhe Keqiu committed suicide by drinking poisoned wine and handed over the affairs of the government to Zhe Yan! Now Chi Yuping's army has arrived in Fuzhou, please make a decision!"
Wang Xiaolie was stunned for a while, then shook his head and said: "This is a bargain. I would rather die than surrender. Did he lose his mind when he surrendered to the Jin Dynasty? Forget it, Fuzhou is remote and not suitable for garrisoning large armies. Let Chi Yuping led his army back to Shizhou and left a regiment there. He asked Zheyan to temporarily take charge of the affairs of the government and guard against Xixia."
Wang Ruohai nodded. Then he asked, "What should we do with the people who have left the family?"
Wang Xiaolie thought for a while and said, "Leave it to Zheyan. I believe he can handle it well."
Wang Ruohai said: "Isn't it a little hasty to hand it over to Zheyan--Xuanfu?"
Wang Xiaolie said: "The reason why we attacked Fuzhou is because Fuzhou is in the remote northwest and threatens our retreat. We have neither the ability nor the need to completely solve the Fuzhou problem. As long as our retreat is safe." After solving Fuzhou, we should aim at Lanzhou. At this time, Deputy Liang will take over."
Wang Ruohai nodded.
Before the Jin army moved south on a large scale, it was Wang Xiaolie's established policy to deal with the armies of Lanzhou and surrounding states and threaten Taiyuan Prefecture's retreat. Every war must be won by coincidence and surprise. This is the surprise force deployed by Wang Xiaolie.
If it were only against the West Route Army, Wang Xiaolie would already have a strength advantage. How to leverage this advantage is the key to victory. It is one way to gather the troops in Jinzhou and Longdeokfu, and it is another way to disperse the troops. Obviously, Wang Xiaolie believed that greater results could be achieved by spreading out.
In fact, in Fuzhou, Wang Xiaolie didn't even want to stay in a regiment. But now that Zhe Keqiu has just left, Zhe Yanzhi needs a centering bone to help him stabilize his position.
Wang Ruohai went to arrange matters in Fuzhou, leaving Wang Xiaolie alone in the official hall.
After leaning on the chair and thinking for a while, Wang Xiaolie stood up and walked out.
It is already the first month, but the weather has not warmed up at all, and the spring cold is severe. It's just that although the wind is still cold, it doesn't feel like a knife in winter.
After walking a few steps, Wang Yan came out of the room. When he saw Wang Xiaolie, he hurriedly saluted.
Wang Xiaolie said: "The secretary is in a hurry. Where are we going?"
Wang Yan said: "Go and inform Zhang Zhongfu and Zheng Jianchong. They will come to the official office later. Xuanfu has something to say."
Wang Xiaolie said: "I was thinking about this just now. It would be too formal to ask them to come to the official office, and I'm afraid people will mutter in their hearts. Let's do this. Let's prepare a banquet for the two of them at noon today. It's a lot. It’s easy to talk about it at a banquet.”
Wang Yan said: "Okay. Then go and notify them. Look, it's almost noon."
Watching Wang Yan leave, Wang Xiaolie walked in the courtyard, thinking about something on his mind.
When the Jin army attacked Shaanxi, both Zhang Zhongfu and Zheng Jianchong immediately surrendered to the Jin army, allowing the Jin people to occupy Shaanxi without paying much price. Of course, they were not the only ones to surrender, many of the Shaanxi defenders also surrendered. Because they surrendered too quickly, many generals recurred in the later period and returned to the Song Dynasty. Because of this incident, the Emperor of Jin was very dissatisfied with Lou Su and once reprimanded him.
After Zhang Zhongfu and Zheng Jianchong dropped the money, they were very determined and did not repeat themselves. When other generals returned to the Song Dynasty, they also performed meritorious service in suppressing the rebellion and rose to great heights.
Because of this, Wang Xiaolie's attitude towards the two of them was that, counting both his former rebellion against the Song Dynasty and his current surrender, the merits and demerits would be equal to each other at most. What happens next depends on what we do in the future.
At noon, Zhang Zhongfu and Zheng Jianchong arrived at the military office early. The soldiers led him to the living room next to him, where he sat quietly and waited.
Seeing Zheng Jianchong sitting there, his face was gloomy and he looked unhappy. Zhang Zhongfu said: "Jing Lue, why are you unhappy?"
Zheng Jianchong looked at Zhang Zhongfu and said, "You still know that I am a manager, but in Xuanfu's eyes, I only remember that I am a magistrate."
Zhang Zhongfu sighed: "How can we not bow our heads when we are under the eaves? Now you and I are both fish and meat, while Xuanfu is like a knife. What can I say?"
Zheng Jianchong just sneered and ignored Zhang Zhongfu.
Zhang Zhongfu, Zhang Zhongyan, Zhao Bin and others are all close confidants of Qu Duan. Zhang Jun didn't believe Qu Duan and blamed him, so they surrendered to the Jin Dynasty. Up to now, Zhang Zhongfu has not paid the money for a long time, and he does not care about fame and position like Zheng Jianchong.
Seeing that Zheng Jianchong stopped talking, Zhang Zhongfu had no choice but to turn his head and look at the door.
After less than half an hour, a soldier came in and said to the two of them: "Xuanfu has finished his work and is waiting in the back office."
The two got up and followed the soldiers to Houya.
I saw Wang Xiaolie directing his soldiers to serve the food. When he saw the two people coming in, he stepped forward and said, "I have free time today, so I'll treat you two to a drink. Some things must be said out loud to prevent you from thinking nonsense."
Zhang Zhongfu and Zheng Jianchong said hurriedly that they didn't dare.
At this moment, Wang Ruohai and Wang Yan came in and asked Zhang Zhongfu and Zheng Jianchong to sit down.
Today's banquet is more formal. First there are four cold dishes: crystal pork elbow, white chopped chicken, cold lotus root slices, preserved egg tofu, and six hot dishes: tofu box, steamed pork ribs, Sixi meatballs, fried mutton with green onions, stir-fried liver and kidneys, and braised carp. There is also dessert, which has not been served yet.
Although Zhang Zhongfu and Zheng Jianchong are in high positions, they have always been in the northwest and have never seen such exquisite dishes. I was a bit dazzled and didn't dare to move.
In fact, a formal banquet should not serve strange-tasting foods, such as preserved eggs and tofu. Moreover, most of these dishes are not exquisite and cannot be considered a first-class banquet. However, in this era, stir-fry dishes have just become popular, and there are already few dishes, but these foods are amazing enough.
Seeing everyone sitting down, Wang Xiaolie raised his glass and led the crowd to drink three rounds.
The wine is Yicheng's famous liquor Jinshaquan, not a strong liquor. After a few drinks, Zhang Zhongfu and Zheng Jianchong felt their mouths were bland. But in this case, it’s hard to say anything.
Put down the wine glass, took a few bites of food and ate. Putting down his chopsticks, Wang Xiaolian said: "You two have been back to Song Dynasty for a few days, and I haven't invited you to a meal. I feel very embarrassed. I have some free time today, so I prepared some food and wine to treat you two. I might have offended you. Don’t be surprised!”
Zhang Zhongfu and Zheng Jianchong said hurriedly that they didn't dare.
Wang Xiaolie said: "Before you returned to the Song Dynasty, you two were both military envoys, which can be said to be high and powerful. After returning to the Song Dynasty, it is common sense in the world that you should be arranged according to your previous official positions. But here, I can only serve from the magistrate. Come on, do you two know why?"
Zhang Zhongfu and Zheng Jianchong were busy saying nothing and seemed to be listening attentively.
Wang Xiaolie said: "As far as the names are concerned, the positions of economic envoy and pacification envoy are actually central official positions assigned to localities. Therefore, the order of the imperial court will not use these envoys as seniority, but only as a reference. Localities. The highest official position in this dynasty is magistrate or magistrate. I am a local magistrate. I cannot give you a central court official position. I can only be a local magistrate, and that is magistrate."
Zhang Zhongfu and Zheng Jianchong looked like they suddenly realized what they were doing and quickly apologized to Wang Xiaolie.
In fact, they knew in their hearts that Wang Xiaolie was just an excuse. Magistrates and magistrates are indeed the highest local official positions. Various envoys have no direct constraints on them, but can only be subordinated to them with the help of the power of the court. The ministers in the DPRK were often prime ministers, and most of them served as magistrates or prefects as local officials. Except for serving as a strategic envoy in important places, he will not serve as a transit envoy. But this does not mean that what is in name is the reality.
It is true that Wang Xiaolie does not have the power to "act expeditiously" like Zhang Jun did when he was in Sichuan and Shaanxi, but he has the ability to act expediently. From the beginning of his independence, he was isolated from the imperial court. The appointment and dismissal of subordinate officials and the promotion and demotion of generals were all Wang Xiaolie's own decisions without waiting for the imperial court's approval. Now that we are occupying Shaanxi, if Zhang Zhongfu and Zheng Jianchong are appointed as economic envoys or similar officials, Wang Xiaolie will certainly be able to do it. Just letting the two people know the state is obviously not the reason.
Had two more glasses of wine. Wang Xiaolie said: "What do you two think an official position is?"
Zhang Zhongfu and Zheng Jianchong hurriedly shook their heads and said, "I'm so stupid, how can I say this clearly?"
Wang Xiaolie smiled. Said: "You don't need to be so careful in front of me. The so-called official position, in layman's terms, is nothing more than being loyal to the emperor and being loyal to the people. But what is loyalty to the emperor? You obey the emperor in everything, right? It's obvious. , No. What does it mean to live up to the people? Some people say that it is to sit back and talk about one's heart when nothing happens, and to repay the king with death in danger. That's not right either."
Hearing this, Zhang Zhongfu and Zheng Jianchong did not dare to speak and just ate their food.
Wang Xiaolie said: "The so-called official position is such a position, and the requirements of this position. What kind of requirements? We must start from the world. We know that the emperor is the emperor, and he herds the people on behalf of heaven. For the emperor, heaven is There are requirements. That’s why the world is immoral, heaven wants to bring disaster, and the emperor sincerely corrects his mistakes. Is this right? Now it seems that it may not be right."
Wang Ruohai and Wang Yan both looked calm and ate when they needed to, and drank when they needed to. Over time, they have heard this kind of thing so much that it doesn't matter anymore.
Wang Xiaoxing said: "The Jin army broke into Kaifeng Mansion and captured the Emperor of Northern Hunting. This is the greatest shame in history! The Holy Lord crossed the river on his white horse and struggled to start a new life. It is indeed difficult to start a business. In today's world, as long as the Holy Lord is determined to resist Gold, only if you can avenge the humiliation of the past can you avenge the humiliation of the past. Otherwise——"
Having said this, Wang Xiaolie shook his head.
Zhang Zhongfu and Zheng Jianchong felt nervous, knowing what Wang Xiaolie meant. Zhao Gou's legitimacy lies in his resistance to gold. If he does not resist gold, he will lose his legitimacy. Historically, Zhao Gou and Qin Song cooperated to overturn this point. It is another matter to be able to sit in the world without resisting Jin.
Wang Xiaolie said: "As ministers, every official position has requirements. Officials must be cautious, as if walking on thin ice when facing an abyss. Even so, I think there are very few officials in the world who meet the requirements. What should we do? We can only Appoint a person to be this official. If you don't meet the requirements, it will be ok to act like you are suitable. So to be a magistrate, you must first know what the requirements are. If you can't be an official, it will be ok to act like you are suitable. ?”
Zhang Zhongfu and Zheng Jianchong looked at each other and finally understood what Wang Xiaolie meant.
I tell you that the local official knows the best state, and then I tell you that knowing the state is not easy. If you want to be an official, you must first learn. When I understood, I was truly speechless.
Wang Xiaolie said: "Of course, if you don't want to, it doesn't matter. You can be another official. The level will be higher, but there is no future. It depends on your choice."
Zhang Zhongfu and Zheng Jianchong thought that since Wang Xiaolie said that other officials had no future and might not be easy to do, it might be difficult to choose. And if you go against Wang Xiaolie's wishes, you will probably have unexpected troubles in the future.
After thinking about it, they raised their hands together and said, "Thank you Xuanfu for thinking about the two of us. Of course we are willing."
(End of chapter)
