GBP Chapter 302: Diplomatic Mission to Xixia and Mr. Han
Chapter 302: Diplomatic Mission to Xixia and Mr. Han
With the demise of Mo Zang Epang and his followers, the unrest in Western Xia that had lasted for nearly seven years was put to an end.
In the imperial edict issued by Li Liangzuo to the whole country, Mo Zang Epang, as a criminal of the Dangxiang, took responsibility for all the problems from the end of Li Yuanhao's period to the present.
The truth that could be seen by anyone with a discerning eye was turned a blind eye by the people of Western Xia.
Li Yuanhao, Li Liangzuo and Mo Zang Epang were all responsible for the chaos and decline of Western Xia.
But the emperor just put forward a scapegoat of sufficient weight, and the whole people were satisfied and relieved, and then continued to live their own lives.
Little did they know that they would face even more difficult and painful days ahead.
After formally eliminating the power of Mo Zang Epang, Li Liangzuo supported the generals Man Mie and Liang Jia to enter the center of power and jointly hold military and political power.
Manmie was a general of the Western Xia, a member of the Dangxiang tribe. In the eighth year of the Qingli reign of the Song Dynasty (1048), Li Liangzuo succeeded to the throne as Emperor Yizong of Xia at the age of two, and power fell into the hands of the Mozang tribe.
As he grew older, Yizong became increasingly dissatisfied with the monopoly of power by the Mozang people. Manmie supported Yizong in capturing and killing Mozang Epang and executing the Mozang Queen, thus regaining power.
The event of "annihilating the Mo Zang clan" that should have occurred in the sixth year of Jiayou in the original history was delayed for seven years due to the Second Song-Xia War instigated by a certain Han.
During these seven years, Western Xia was mired in endless party struggles and chaos, and this was exactly the consequence of the mines laid by Han.
What he wanted was for Xixia to be in political chaos all year round and have no time and energy to develop, so that the Song Dynasty could one day free up its hands to deal with this "old friend" in the northwest.
Although Li Liangzuo also noticed Han's move, he and Mo Zang Epang had a bad relationship, and it was impossible for them to join forces to fight against the Song Dynasty.
As for the Liang family, which he promoted, this has to do with an encounter between him and Liang, the daughter-in-law of Mo Zang Epang.
To sum it up simply, Li Liangzuo followed the same path as his father Li Yuanhao.
He had an affair with Liang, the daughter-in-law of Mo Zang Epang. Later, Epang and his son conspired to kill Li Liangzuo, and Liang reported the plot (this is true love!).
With the support of General Manmie and others, Li Liangzuo killed Epang and his family, and also killed his wife Mo Zang (the daughter of Mo Zang Epang), ending the Mo Zang clan's monopoly of power.
One was having an affair with the wife of a minister, and the other was having an affair with the daughter-in-law of her uncle and father-in-law.
The unique taste of the Li father and son is actually the "legacy of Wei Wu" during the Liao, Song and Western Xia periods, and this kind of thing is not shameful.
After Li Yuanhao deposed the empress and killed her son, he made his old lover Mo Zang the empress; and after Li Liangzuo eliminated Mo Zang's people, he also pushed Liang, with whom he had an affair, to the throne of empress.
This is the famous Queen Mother Liang of Western Xia in later history.
After Li Liangzuo's early death, she took charge of government affairs and controlled the Western Xia regime for 18 years as the empress dowager. She even defeated the Northern Song Dynasty in the "Battle of Yongle City" and disintegrated the "Five-Way Attack on Xia" offensive of the Shenzong Dynasty.
She can be seen as a Xixia version of the "Empress Dowager Xiao". Unfortunately, as a Han Chinese, Liang was repeatedly criticized by her former Tangut subordinates during her 18 years in power.
However, in Han's opinion, these are actually a sign of communication. If the Song Dynasty can persuade the Liang family to betray Western Xia, then this battle will be much easier to fight.
But we are not fools. If you, Han, want to get something for nothing, why would the Liang family cooperate with you?
The wicked Han directly handed this difficult task to the bitter and vengeful Sima Junshi, and the brothers Su Zizhan and Su Ziyu were also brought along by force.
As someone said, "The most taboo in studying and writing history is to work in isolation and remain complacent. Go out and see what the world is really like."
“They will give you a different feeling, a more creative feeling than just wandering around in a book!”
The three people who felt that they were right were tricked out of the bookstore. Accompanied and protected by special personnel, they set out from the city of Bianjing and headed to Western Xia, which had just experienced civil unrest and had not yet recovered.
After a tiring journey, these people, who were purely literary, finally arrived at the national border - Yanzhou!
Yes, it was the territory of Western Xia before the seventh year of Jiayou, and then it was ceded to the new territory of the Song Dynasty.
The blue and white salt produced here every year is enough for the Song Dynasty to make a fortune.
In the final analysis, it was Han's own stubbornness. You should know that Xixia had no intention of ceding Yanzhou at the beginning.
However, when the "Jiayou Peace Agreement" was signed, Li Liangzuo and Mo Zang Epang did not take a close look at it, and then Han deliberately let Zhong Gu and Yao Si, who were in the rear, occupy the city and refuse to leave.
As a result, Yanzhou City became the object of dispute between the two sides. The actual control was in the hands of the Song Dynasty, which brought in a lot of tax revenue and high-quality and low-priced blue-white salt every year.
In addition to the annual tribute from Western Xia, the Song Dynasty has now fully realized the market circulation of low-priced salt. For this reason alone, the people are grateful to Mr. Han.
Seeing Old Man Han Zhang coming out to greet them in person, Sima Junshi and the Su brothers hurriedly got off the carriage and bowed from afar.
"I've met the Grand Master!"
"I've met the Grand Master!"
"..."
"Haha, I'm no longer working at the Central Government, so please don't address me as 'Grand Minister'."
The old man is full of energy and in good health. It's obvious that he has been well taken care of in the northwest.
"Mr. Han, you're joking. Even if you're not at the center, you're still one of the court's 'envoys,' so it's proper to address you like that."
Sima Junshi was an old friend of the Han family, so he took the opportunity to change the name to the more friendly "Han Gong" and flattered him a little.
"Haha, you bastard, Jingyuan always praises you for being honest, rigorous, low-key and indifferent. Now you open your mouth, you are even more cunning than that kid."
Old man Han Zhang pointed at Sima Junshi and teased him. Everyone present laughed and the atmosphere was very cheerful.
After a brief reminisce, Mr. Han took the lead and led everyone into Yanzhou City.
Since he was ordered to come to the northwest to take charge and coordinate the plan of "destroying Xia", the old man's life has become much more fulfilling.
Although there was no more intrigue in the court, new enemies had emerged that needed him to deal with, and it didn't make much difference whether he went in or out.
In order to better coordinate the overall situation on the front line, the old man directly moved the office of the Governor-General to Yanzhou City.
To be honest, at the first plenary meeting of Shaanxi Road, the old man's idea scared the generals of the Western Army and the government officials, and they all tried to dissuade him.
Here are Mr. Han's old subordinates, as well as the direct descendants left behind by a certain Han after the "attack on Xia", but this direct descendant accounts for more than 80% of the Western Army.
The rest included the former subordinates of Grand Tutor Pang, Duke Wuxiang of Di, Duke Zheng of Xia, and Duke Wenzheng of Fan, etc.
These people all supported the Han family, which led to the Western Army and Shaanxi Road basically becoming Han's base.
Facing their own lord's grandfather, who was also one of the wise ministers of the court, they dared not let the old man take such an exciting action.
As a result, the old man was very stubborn and no one tried to stop him, so he moved directly from Jingzhao Prefecture and settled in Yanzhou.
In order to better protect the old man, Zhong Gu from Yanzhou and Guo Kui, who was in charge of military affairs in the rear, increased their defenses in Yanzhou.
"Mr. Han, I have something to say, but I don't know whether I should say it or not."
Sima Junshi raised his glass to toast Han Zhang at the welcoming banquet.
"When did you learn to be so fussy? Are you dizzy from writing history?"
The old man felt much more cheerful after leaving Beijing. His speech and behavior were quite free and unrestrained as when he was young, and he was not shy when teasing Sima Junshi.
"Those in high positions should not put themselves in danger."
"As the imperial envoy and the Great Wall of the northwest border, Lord Han shouldn't be stationed in Yanzhou and headed to such a dangerous place!"
As soon as Sima Junshi opened his mouth, everyone understood what he meant. He was here to persuade Han Zhang not to rush forward so much.
"Jingyuan asked you to say that?"
The old man immediately guessed that this was Han Ming's intention. After all, when it comes to paying attention to the Northwest, Han has put in a lot of effort, which is unmatched by any other civil or military official in the court.
"Marquis Han is also worried about your situation on the front line..." Sima Junshi nodded slightly and replied.
"It doesn't matter. Yanzhou City will definitely not become the center of war."
"Do you think that kid's cleverness would allow Yanzhou, which has finally recovered its economic production, to fall into war again?"
Mr. Han’s words reminded everyone that, indeed, with Mr. Han’s careful planning, the city that had resumed production and construction must not be used as a pawn in war.
This behavior of killing the chicken to get the eggs will only cause suffering to the people living on the border and increase the maintenance costs of the court.
Han is the kind of person who digests every bite he eats carefully, so how could he allow a border city to fall into war?
Especially in a major salt-producing city like Yanzhou, the enemy must be pushed out to fight.
This is why, after the seventh year of Jiayou, a large number of military camps and forts were continuously built in the vast land north of Yanzhou City.
Relying on the Great Wall, Yanzhou's defenses are impregnable. If the Xixia people want to recover their lost territory, I'm afraid it will be a waste of their lives. It's impossible...