Chapter 595: Going to the Palace with a Sword [Ask for guaranteed monthly tickets at the beginning
Chapter 595: Going to the Palace with a Sword (Part ) [Ask for guaranteed monthly tickets at the beginning of the month]
As expected, the conflict on the front line broke the winter tranquility of the capital.
No one expected that the peace talks would start again. As the war reports and military letters from Xiping and Tieguan were sent to the empress's desk across thousands of miles, the peace talks in the Honglu Temple suddenly underwent subtle changes.
The situation on the front line did not halt the peace talks; instead, it prompted the three parties to enter a fierce battle at the negotiating table.
Zhao Duan did not participate in the specific peace talks, but the latest progress of the talks would be sent to him every day.
And time continues to approach the end of the year in this subtle atmosphere.
This winter is also exceptionally cold, with more intense winds and snow.
……
early morning.
At the Zhao family's dining table, Zhao Duan stepped into the dining room again and saw his aunt and sister were already waiting.
However, compared with the relaxed atmosphere in the past, the two women in the family looked worried today.
"What's wrong? Are you worried?"
Zhao Duan sat in the main seat, picked up the bowl of porridge, and said jokingly with a smile:
"Or are you still worried about the many things to do during the holidays as the year draws to a close?"
Eugene Hua forced a smile and hesitated to speak. On the other hand, Zhao Pan was less hesitant and said crisply:
"Yesterday, my mother and I had a gathering with the wives of some officials in the capital. During the meal, we talked about the peace talks and heard that they were not going well. Is that true?"
Although the Yu Kingdom was ruled by a female emperor, the families of the civil and military officials still followed tradition and rarely participated in state affairs.
Therefore, there is a certain information lag.
"It's not going smoothly," Zhao Duan put down the bowl of porridge.
"The two princes of Hejian and Yanshan had big appetites and demanded that the imperial court openly and legally allow them to occupy a large piece of land before they would stop fighting. The imperial court would not agree, so the situation became deadlocked."
Cede land?
Eugene Hua and Zhao Pan looked at each other. Both beauties had worried expressions, which was consistent with the news they had known.
Although Zhao Pan is a young girl, and now she is dressed as a lady of elegance, she has a wild nature in her bones. She snorted coldly:
"You wish. A bunch of rebels are still dreaming of ruling the country with Your Majesty? Not to mention that this matter cannot be agreed to in the first place, I am afraid that if you let it go, the other rebel kings will follow suit. Your Majesty has given the gospel and legally approved it, so won't they all agree to it?"
Eugene Hua sometimes appears dignified in front of her daughter, but at heart she is a little woman. She said worriedly:
"If you don't respond, do you want to fight?"
Zhao Duan sighed:
"If we only look at Xiping and Tieguan, the imperial court is not afraid of going to war with them. The reason they are willing to negotiate is that they are still worried about the overall situation."
He analyzed:
"Especially in Xiping. If the Prince of Hejian is determined to fight to the death with the imperial court despite the cold winter, the western border defense will inevitably be weakened. A few days ago, Duke Tang reported that the countries in the Western Regions were not stable... They took advantage of this and used the Western Regions and Prince Jing to force Your Majesty to submit.
If the Northwest Frontier Army continues to weaken, the Western Regions will enter the pass next spring. By then, the court will have to deal with Prince Jing, as well as the threats from the west and even the north, and will be unable to cope with them...
Oh, when I met Xu Wenyan that day, I was not sure what the bargaining chip he was talking about was, but now I am sure that it is this means of coercion. "
Zhao Duan was also in a heavy mood.
Because this is an unsolvable problem and the real reason why the peace talks have fallen into a long-term deadlock.
The empress was absolutely unwilling to recognize the other party's law and cede land.
But if we don’t give it, the situation we have worked so hard to achieve this year will be ruined.
In the final analysis, the deceased emperor left behind a mess that had to be cleaned up by future generations.
The meal felt heavy and depressing.
Finally, Eugene Hua said softly:
"The wife of Governor Ning next door asked me to help deliver some items to Governor Ning. They are all New Year's goods, clothes sewn by his wife and daughter, etc."
Only then did Zhao Duan come to his senses.
The end of the year is approaching, and many officials who have been on the front lines this year are unable to return home to reunite with their families.
He said seriously: "I will arrange someone to do this."
Not only Ning Zechen, but also the families of other important officials must have similar demands.
He planned to talk to Zhenbao later and ask him to find some people to do the job.
……
After leaving the Zhao family, Zhao Duan took many detours and came to an alley, where he saw his secretary Qian Kerou and other subordinates standing in front of several trucks waiting.
"grown ups."
Everyone saluted, Zhao Duan said "yes" and stepped into the car: "Let's go."
Then, several carts led by him drove towards the east of the city.
Winter is coming, and according to custom, Zhao Duan will send some winter supplies to several charity halls such as the orphanage in the east of the city.
However, the scale of supplies has expanded significantly this year.
Because a few days ago, when Zhao Duan's soul returned to Jingchuan Town, Jin Jian found him. At that time, the stingy and charming girl generously pushed the bulging little purse to him and entrusted him to help deliver it to the charity hall in the east of the city.
In the small purse, in addition to the several thousand taels of silver that Zhao Duan rewarded Jin Jian for the last assassination of Xu Jingtang, there was also the remuneration for Jin Jian's work in Taicang Prefecture, as well as the silver that the young priestess earned from "odd jobs" in the past year after paying for her own needs.
That's a lot of money indeed.
Whenever he thought of the scene when Jin Jian gave him the money, he had a look of distrust on his face and repeatedly warned him, "If you dare to embezzle, I will tell Master when I return to Beijing and investigate."
Zhao Duan wanted to laugh out loud.
This silly little girl still doesn’t know that Zhao Duan does the same thing every year.
Jiguyuan in the east of the city.
After getting off the car, Zhao Duan took off his mask, changed into a scarf to cover most of his face, and then changed his appearance a little.
Then he knocked on the door of the charity hall.
A year later, Dean Wu, who was lame and leaning on a wooden cane, had aged a little. He was stunned when he saw him, and then when he heard the voice clearly, he said in surprise:
"Master Lin?"
Zhao Duan nodded, pointed at the face towel and explained with a smile:
"I caught a cold and I'm afraid I'll infect the children."
Dean Wu suddenly realized what was going on and eagerly invited him in. Qian Kerou and other subordinates disguised as servants began to bring in cotton clothes, charcoal, food, etc. from the car.
Zhao Duan did not go to see the orphans in the orphanage on the pretext of catching a cold. He just chatted with Dean Wu and explained which of this year's grants were sent on behalf of Jin Jian.
Dean Wu was very surprised. He didn't expect that Mr. Lin also knew the girl who came to donate in previous years.
He also asked about Princess Wenzhu who had come with Zhao Duan last year, and when he learned that she had left the capital, he just nodded.
Then it was Zhao Duan's turn, most of which were questions about people's livelihood.
"This winter is particularly difficult. Everything in the city is going up in price. I don't know what to do without funding," sighed Dean Wu.
Zhao Duan remained silent and could only comfort her by saying that things would be better after the war subsided next year.
During this period, Dean Wu, a retired soldier, asked about his old boss Zhao Shixiong, and lamented that even a figure like General Zhao could be deceived, but fortunately he realized his mistake and turned back. He then praised "Governor Zhao" highly.
"That Governor Zhao has a bad reputation. Many scholars call him a traitor. You haven't even met him, so how can you admire him?" Zhao Duan asked with a smile.
Dean Wu said with a straight face:
"He who can win a battle is a great hero. I, Old Wu, have never been to school, but I know that achievements cannot be made with words. In my opinion, those scholars who slandered Governor Zhao are the ones who are causing harm to the country and the people."
"If Governor Zhao knew, he would be happy." Zhao Duan said with a smile.
Dean Wu suddenly said worriedly:
"Mr. Lin, you are from an extraordinary family, so you must know about the peace talks in the imperial court, right? What are they like? I heard that the rebels want to cede land? Is Your Majesty willing to compromise?"
Zhao Duan's expression changed slightly: "Who told you this?"
Dean Wu shook his head and said:
"I don't know where it came from, but it's being said in the streets. If you're curious, Mr. Lin, you can go to some taverns to ask, but if you go higher up, I'm sure the respectable gentlemen in those expensive restaurants wouldn't dare to say that."
"...I understand. The peace talks have not yet come to any conclusion, and Your Majesty will not compromise." Zhao Duan said.
"Really?"
Old Wu laughed and said:
"That's fine, that's fine."
……
After leaving the orphanage, Zhao Duan felt increasingly bad.
"Sir?" Qian Kerou saw that he was in a bad mood and asked softly.
Zhao Duan stopped and said to her:
"Distribute the remaining supplies according to the list I wrote. Also, remember to inform the Red Flower Society and tell those people to behave themselves. If they dare to covet these things..."
Qian Kerou smiled and said, "Don't worry, sir. I understand."
Beneath the secretary's round face, there is also a murderous side.
"Yeah." Zhao Duan nodded and watched his subordinates leave. He turned around and walked on the snow towards a nearby tavern alone.
No high-end restaurants were chosen.
He chose an affordable restaurant, ordered some food, and sat down in an inconspicuous corner.
Gradually, more and more customers came to the tavern, and without asking, this group of people started discussing the topic of "peace talks" on their own.
"Have you heard that His Majesty might give in and make concessions in the peace talks?" a small businessman whispered.
The people at the same table were surprised: "How could it be? Didn't the delegation insist on 'occupying the mountain and becoming the king'? If they agree, wouldn't it create two 'countries within a country'?"
"Hey, logically they won't retreat, but the armies on the frontline have already started fighting, what can we do? It's winter now, and they still want to fight. How determined are they?" Another person joined the discussion.
"But there are still border troops..."
"If the border troops are so powerful, why haven't they been able to be wiped out? Why haven't we reached the stage of peace talks?"
"But we still have Governor Zhao and Marshal Xue."
"Oh, that Commander Zhao is indeed powerful, but he is only one man after all. He is still afraid to go west of the Huai River. It is hard to say how much manpower will be needed to pacify Yunfu. But don't forget, there is also Prince Jing. If there are not enough people, won't we have to compromise and admit defeat?"
"Bang!" Amid the discussion, a poor drunk scholar suddenly slammed the table hard, making a loud noise. The poor scholar staggered to his feet and said angrily:
"Today we cede one city, tomorrow we cede ten cities. The rebel king is plotting rebellion, and the people are suffering. Governor Zhao is winning victory after victory. Even Young Master Dong has given up his pen and joined the army, rushed to the western front, and finally killed King Heng and King Mu. But now he wants to cede land and give in?
Where does this bullshit come from? How can we be worthy of the dead and wounded soldiers on the front line? If this is really the case, the emperor might as well abdicate..."
At first everyone was listening attentively, but later their faces changed color.
The bartender was even more shocked, and angrily walked up to him and pulled the drunk scholar away.
Is it possible to say such things?
However, although they knew that there were some things that could not be said, from the faces of the guests in the tavern, there was no opposition to the scholar's words. Instead, there was a sense of identification.
All of this was seen by Zhao Duan who was sitting in the corner.
He stood up silently, paid the bill, and left the tavern.
In the next few hours, Zhao Duan walked around the taverns and teahouses in the city, quietly listening to public opinion.
Waited until the afternoon.
After he paid the bill again and walked out, he returned to the imperial yamen first and found that Qian Kerou and others had completed what he had asked them to do.
"Sir, it's done. This is a record of the materials needed by different charity halls." Qian Kerou handed him a document.
This is just the first batch of supplies. Giving too much at once would be a curse rather than a blessing. And we also need to purchase supplies according to specific circumstances.
Zhao Duan nodded, glanced through it briefly, and then put it down. He said, "Send someone in plain clothes to investigate the source of the recent rumors in the city that Your Majesty wants to surrender and cede land."
Qian Kerou was surprised and nodded solemnly:
"Yes. I will do it right away."
After giving the order, Zhao Duan set off again, and this time, he went straight to the palace.
……
Relying on the offering badge, Zhao Duan successfully passed through the imperial city and the palace city and entered the Hall of Mental Cultivation.
Finally, he met the empress in the familiar imperial study.
"coming?"
Xu Zhenguan was reviewing memorials and said without raising his head.
In the warm and bright study, the charcoal stove and the incense burner create a warm fragrance in the air.
The empress in white with long black hair moved her slender wrist following the movement of the pen.
Zhao Duan took off his mask, pulled a chair in front of her and sat down, and talked about delivering New Year's goods to Ning Zechen and other civil and military officials on the front line.
Xu Zhenguan put down his pen, listened carefully, nodded and said:
"That makes sense. I'll have someone do it."
Then she looked at Zhao Duan's face and said softly:
"If you have anything to say, just say it."
Zhao Duan said: "I went to the east of the city today..."
He slowly described what he had heard and seen today.
Unconsciously, Xu Zhenguan also frowned:
"Do you think someone is spreading relevant remarks?"
"Maybe, maybe not." Zhao Duan shook his head.
"The peace talks are in front of everyone, and the final result is difficult to hide. In fact, it doesn't matter who promotes what."
Xu Zhenguan stared at him: "Are you asking about the current trend in the court?"
Seeing Zhao Duan nod, the empress sighed softly and said:
"As expected. After the battle on the front line began, more and more ministers in the court showed signs of compromise. I have seen it all, and I know that some of them must be secretly connected with the Prince of Hejian and the Prince of Yanshan, but at the same time, there are also some who may not have any selfish motives."
Zhao Duan also sighed:
"We've seen this coming, haven't we?"
The empress also fell silent.
From a big picture perspective, a temporary compromise may be the lowest-risk counterinsurgency solution.
If it does not retreat, the situation in the coming year may become unclear again.
"What does your majesty think?" Zhao Duan asked.
He had asked this question before the peace delegation arrived, and this was the second time.
Xu Zhenguan looked at him calmly with his dark eyes and said:
"I never change my mind."
"The enemy is more ruthless than expected. Being too strong will only lead to failure."
"Do I have any way out?"
A slight smile appeared on Zhao Duan's lips. He stood up and said, "I understand."
After saying that, he turned around and was about to leave.
Suddenly, the empress's voice came from behind:
"Recently... I have tried several times, but still cannot crack the password to open the phone."
It's rare that you still remember this... Zhao Duan exhaled, turned his head and smiled:
"I have a feeling that I will soon reach the highest level of the secular world. Although it will not change anything in the human world, it will be one step closer to becoming a celestial being."
After thinking about the Heaven Realm, the two realms were balanced again... The empress's cheeks were slightly hot, she exhaled, and said, "Go away."
"Okay."
……
……
Time continues to pass little by little.
The peace talks are still in a difficult tug-of-war, and the latest battle reports sent back from the front from time to time will be immediately used on the negotiating table.
Similarly, as both sides refused to give an inch, the two armies in the front also started a certain range of fighting from the initial confrontation.
And public opinion in the city became increasingly intense.
Zhao Du'an still did not participate in the peace talks in the Honglu Temple. Every day he sat in the Lihua Hall, reading two reports sent to his desk by his subordinates, one corresponding to the peace talks entering the city and the other to the observation of public opinion.
He went to the Tianshi Mansion alone and accepted Gongshu Tianyuan's transformation of this substitute.
In this depressing atmosphere, the New Year is getting closer and closer, but there is no joy in the city as it should be.
Everyone is watching the final outcome of the peace talks.
Finally, the deadline was reached, and according to the latest report, the two sides still failed to reach an agreement.
According to the procedure, Xu Wenyan and Xu Xuelian will go to the palace to meet the emperor again. In other words, the final result will finally come.
……
In the early morning, when a ray of morning light illuminates the eastern sky.
Inside the inn, the obese prince Xu Wenyan burned incense and bathed, then changed into the gorgeous clothes in his luggage that represented his status as a prince.
I pushed the door open and walked out of the room, then walked down the stairs and saw that the courtyard was already full of people, with Mr. Feng at the head.
"Your Highness."
Everyone salutes.
Xu Wenyan raised his hand and held it there. There was no foolish look on his face. He calmly scanned the faces and said, "Let's go."
in silence.
Xu Wenyan got on the carriage and headed towards the palace under the protection of everyone.
inside the carriage.
Mr. Feng looked at the prince who was dozing beside him and said softly, "Your Highness, the outcome will be revealed today. Can you..."
Xu Wenyan opened his eyes and smiled:
"Everything can be done as usual. I know what you are worried about, but in my opinion, this peace talk has a good chance of success. The latest news is that the Buddhist ancestral temple has issued a decree that the Western Regions will make further attempts to invade Xiping Road in the spring. The empress must have known this news."
After a pause, he said again:
"Besides, there will be many court officials in the Golden Palace today who will try to negotiate. Even if the empress is unwilling, she will still have to consider the overall situation.
Well, judging from the empress's past style of doing things, she is decisive in desperate situations, but as long as the situation does not force her into a desperate situation, she will tend to deal with it in a softer, calmer and less confrontational way.
This was how they dealt with the old ministers in the court, and it was also how they dealt with the Eight Kings by opening the market... This cannot be said to be a weakness, but it is indeed the empress's personal style.
But the situation is not so dire right now, so she can't make up her mind to break off the talks completely."
Mr. Feng listened to the prince's detailed reasoning, breathed a sigh of relief, and said with a smile:
"The prince sees things clearly."
Xu Wenyan smiled and said:
"This negotiation, in the final analysis, is not with the officials of the Honglu Temple, but with the one in the Golden Palace. As long as we understand the character of the empress, many things will be easy to do. When I came here, the only person I was most worried about was Zhao Duan..."
Mr. Feng was surprised: "Zhao Duan?"
"Yes," Xu Wenyan's eyes were deep:
“Although I have never met this person, looking through his past behavior, I can see that he appears to be calculating, ruthless, and extremely strategic.
But I can see that this person is different from the empress. Under his seemingly meticulous personality, he is a person who doesn't care much about gains and losses. The empress abides by the rules, but this person does not. This kind of person is the most terrifying. Even if he can win by giving in, he may overturn the chessboard. "
Mr. Feng was surprised again. He didn't expect that the prince saw through Zhao Duan so thoroughly. He smiled and said:
"Fortunately, this person is not in Beijing."
Xu Wenyan nodded and exhaled softly: "Yes, fortunately this person is not in the capital."
As they were talking, the carriage arrived at the entrance of the imperial city.
When Xu Wenyan got off the carriage, he happened to see the Yanshan Palace team led by Xu Xuelian arriving shortly afterwards.
The domineering princess has been much more low-key since being spanked by Zhao Duan, and she did not ride the white wolf today.
The two sides looked at each other, exchanged glances, and then went to the palace together.
The morning court is about to begin.
……
……
In Gongshu Tianyuan’s workshop in Tianshi Mansion.
As Zhao Duan's soul sank, the transformed stand-in opened his eyes.
"How does it feel?" Gongshu Tianyuan rubbed his hands excitedly, and seemed eager to put his big face against Zhao Duan's.
Zhao Duan stood up and stretched his limbs, feeling the surging mana stored in the crystal boiling in the "sea of qi" within his new substitute, and his brows relaxed:
"great."
Gongshu Tianyuan smiled happily, admiring his masterpiece:
"After the transformation, your body is comparable to the Divine Chapter Realm. Well, the premise is that the mana in your body has not been exhausted."
"That's enough." Zhao Duan said this, raised his hand and picked up the black cloak and the Jisi sword placed aside.
He grabbed the white mask again and covered his face with it.
"Thank you, Brother Gongshu. I have to go now."
Gongshu Tianyuan said eagerly:
"Wouldn't you like to have a meal together? Uh, I forgot you can't eat, so would you please come and bask in the sun?"
"...No need. I have important things to do today." Zhao Duan walked out.
Important matters? Gongshu Tianyuan was stunned for a moment, thinking that Brother Zhao was weird today, and shook his head. He went to the dining hall of Tianshi Mansion for his stomach.
During the meal, he called a priest and asked, "Do you know what important things are happening in the city today?"
The young priest looked at the disciple of the Heavenly Master who had been hiding in the workshop all day, not paying attention to what was happening outside, and bowed respectfully:
"Brother, if we want to talk about important matters... Well, the peace delegation will come to the palace to meet the emperor today, so this should be counted as one of them."
Gongshu Tianyuan was stunned.
……
At the same time, Zhao Duan was wearing a white mask, a black cloak, and a sword hanging from his waist.
Walking alone in the snow-covered capital city.
Walking along Zhuque Street, we headed north while people around us looked at us sideways.
That's the direction of the palace.
-
ps: Please help to find the typos
(End of this chapter)