In the past year, Zhao Ji has learned from his own experience what is called a disaster.

Drought, locust plague, food shortage, and displaced people, this is interlinked, there are one, two, and three, it may not be surprising, but the Khitan took this opportunity to extort land from him.

Zhao Ji implemented the new law in order to enrich the country and strengthen the army, but when the internal and external troubles came together, he found that the new law, which had been implemented for several years, could not let his country survive this crisis peacefully.

The great drought that swept the country had just passed, and the aftermath had not yet ended, and the greed of the Khitans was exposed in the envoys' southward journeys again and again.

Prime Minister Wang Anshi insisted that he should be tough and not afraid. But in today's situation, how can Zhao Ji be tough?

The Hebei refugees are in the road, and the most abundant Kaifeng Changping position is gradually drying up, and the imperial court has to bear the livelihood of the displaced people until next summer's harvest. Under such circumstances, how could the Great Song Dynasty withstand a major war?

If the Khitan invades and the imperial court is unable to relieve the displaced people in Hebei, things will become as Fu Bi said, the murderers from all directions, the people who wait and see, 'say that the country is in trouble, and its power cannot control me, so they gather together and bees rise. ’

When the time comes, the end of his country will be imminent.

During this time, Zhao Ji sighed all night, it was difficult to sleep, and his body was losing weight little by little.

But the more this is the case, the more he will not let go of political affairs, and if he doesn't see the recital every day, it will be difficult for Zhao Ji to feel at ease.

It happened that Zhang Fangping, one of the patriarchs, returned to the capital and wanted to be transferred to Nanjing Yingtianfu, and he should enter the palace according to the rules.

Although Zhang Fangping is not as good as Han Qi, Fu Bi and Wen Yanbo, he was also a scholar of Hanlin in the Renzong Dynasty, and he was also the predecessor of the governor of the government. And when Yingzong was seriously ill and wanted to make Zhao Ji the crown prince, it was he who got the imperial pen from Yingzong, which can be regarded as a decisive work, and the word elder can be regarded as worthy.

Zhang Fangping bowed up again in the hall, although he was nearly seventy years old, his hair was white, and he was still in good spirits.

Zhao Ji gave a seat first, and when Zhang Fangping thanked him and sat down, Fang said: "The Qing family is in Chenzhou, the people are well-managed, the people are skilled, and there are many things to talk about." ”

"Don't dare. The minister is old and incompetent, and he can't share his worries for His Majesty. Zhang Fangping looked up at Zhao Ji and sighed: "Your Majesty has lost weight." ”

Zhao Ji's heart warmed, and only such an old minister would care about himself, and said with a smile: "The Qing family's body is healthy. ”

"It is the blessing of His Majesty."

The monarch and the minister exchanged a few words, and Zhao Ji asked, "Su Wenqing's family knows about the west." The Khitan wants to marry the Western Xia, I don't know what the Qing family thinks? ”

Zhang Fangping said: "Your Majesty, don't worry too much, the Khitan married Dong Yu in the old years, and he threatened the Western Xia. The two captives in the northwest, who are bullying China, are not in marriage, but in their strong soldiers. ”

Zhao Ji pondered for a while and asked, "Does the Qing family know anything about the events since Qingli?" Yuan Hao's first minister, how to treat it that day? ”

Zhang Fangping bowed his head and replied: "When the minister was a bachelor, he swore an edict and sealed it, and he was all from the minister's hand." ”

"The Qing family was already a bachelor at that time, which can be described as an old virtue." Zhao Ji sighed for a while and said: "Today's matter, the DPRK and China have different opinions. The patriarch of the Qing family, who has experienced three dynasties, should solve my doubts. ”

"I don't know what the princes of the two governments say?" Zhang Fangping looked up and asked.

Zhao Ji hesitated and said: "But the Khitan monarch is dim, the country is weak, and he is suffering from civil strife. If it doesn't come, if it comes from the south, it can be won in one battle! ”

The corners of Zhang Fangping's mouth twitched slightly, revealing a look that seemed to be smiling but not smiling, and he heard a strong hesitation in the words of the Son of Heaven: "Your Majesty, can you know how much the Song and Khitan have fought in the past hundred years?" What is the win? Can the two mansions and the eight dukes ever show His Majesty? ”

Zhao Ji was stunned when he heard this, no one had told him about this, and he had never counted it in detail, "Qing can talk about it!" ”

Zhang Fang's face was straightened, and he said sharply: "Eighty-one battles with the Khitan, but the battle of Zhang Qixian's Taiyuan is a victory!" ”

Zhao Ji's face turned pale, and he asked in disbelief: "Only one win?!" ”

"If not, how can the Abyss Alliance come from?" Zhang Fangping cross-examined: "The Khitan Empress Dowager, the Son of Heaven, and the Prime Minister led the army deep into the Song Realm, and the troops were under the city of Lanzhou, and Wang Chao led 200,000 soldiers and horses to intercept it. ”

Zhang Fangping sighed, and said in a heavy tone: "Although the soldiers are outnumbered, they are invincible, and they are not enough to win. ”

Zhao Ji was silent, thinking about it carefully, this is indeed the truth.

Seeing that Zhao Ji had been shaken, Zhang Fangping pressed forward step by step: "The story is vivid, peace and war, what does Your Majesty think is convenient?" ”

Zhao Ji is difficult to decide, of course he is willing to value peace. But if it really fulfills the wishes of the Khitans, how can he, the son of heaven, still have the face to meet people. Reluctantly replied: "Although it is inconvenient to use soldiers, it is not a good strategy to compromise and seek perfection." ”

"I wish Your Majesty to take Taizu as the law." Zhang Fangping's tone was heavy: "Taizu does not need to be far away, such as Lingxia and Hexi, all because of the entrenchment of the chieftain, so the hereditary inheritance; Huanzhou Dong Zunzhi, Xishan Guo Jin, and Guannan Li Hanchao are all generous and generous, and their grammar is wide. The generals' financial resources are abundant, and the order of Taizu will be followed, and the story of five generations will be repeated. At that time, the spies were carefully interrogated, and the officials and soldiers were all using their lives, so they could use 150,000 forbidden troops and use them as millions. When Taizong sought to obtain the land of swallow thistle, and moved Li Yixing [Li Yuanhao's ancestor] and Feng Hui internally, the imperial court has been disturbed by side affairs since then. The battle of Zhenzong Yuanyuan, with the Khitan as an alliance, so far people do not know the military revolution. The affairs of the three dynasties are like this, and I hope that Your Majesty will learn from it. ”

Zhao Ji listened to Zhang Fangping's eloquent talk, and he didn't know how many private goods were mixed in the road, but he felt that Zhang Fangping was very reasonable, and the more he listened, the more reasonable it became.

The thoughts in his heart involuntarily revealed on his face, and when Zhang Fangping saw it, he struck while the iron was hot: "Now the two governments and border ministers are all willing to fight." The words of others are only for their own selfishness, but they want to throw the world at once. If it is successful, it will not be profitable, and if it is not successful, it will cause trouble, and your majesty must not listen! ”

Zhao Wei closed his eyes dejectedly, and opened them again, "Yesterday, Shen Kuo entered Beijing for the Hajj, and what he said was true, I have ordered him to go to the Privy Council to check the old files, hoping that he can find out the past, and also let the court convince people with reason, so that the northerners will be ashamed and retreat." ”

Although Zhao Ji did not say it explicitly, his intention in his heart had been determined.

Zhang Fangping lowered his head, "Your Majesty is Shengming." ”

……………………

Wang Yan returned in vain, and after seeing his sister, he left Baima County early the next morning.

He failed to convince Han Gang, but he didn't have much anger, only helplessness in his heart.

The Son of Heaven is afraid of the enemy like a tiger, although Han Gang did not say it explicitly, but Wang Yan also knew about it. If it can be reversed—just like the pattern of the homeless—Wang Yan believes that Han Gang will work hard for it—his brother-in-law's previous recital, Wang Yan also heard from his father, and the rhetoric is so fierce that the Son of Heaven does not dare to let him go to Hedong.

It's a pity that Han Gang also sighed that he couldn't do anything. Compared to his age, Han Gang's incredibly rich experience and experience made his words more convincing than Wang Yan's. Wang Yan can't get his support at the moment, let alone convince the Son of Heaven, even if he convinces his father, it is difficult to do it.

And as Han Gang said, take a step back and open the sky. Since there is still a chance to enter the photo in the future, why not go to the stack? Avoid the immediate crisis and let the Son of Heaven bear it alone

Looking at the prime ministers of the past dynasties since the founding of the country, there are countless prime ministers who have been prime ministers twice or three times. Han Qi is a three-entry political affairs hall, Wen Yanbo has been the prime minister and a privy envoy, and Fu Bi is also the prime minister twice. Up and down is not surprising at all. can sit in the phase for more than ten years, and you can't count it on your fingers.

Wang Anshi is only 53 this year, which is actually very young for the prime minister, and his political career in the two governments has just begun. If you retreat now, you will be able to return to the government hall in two years when the situation between the DPRK and China is turbulent. Wait for two or three times as the phase, and the identity of the old minister will also be there.

After sending Wang Yan back, Han Gang was also thinking about this time.

In fact, Wang Anshi's resignation has long been psychologically prepared, otherwise Han Gang would not have been able to make Wang Yan give up so easily. In the early years of Xining, Wang Anshi's words, how could the Son of Heaven not listen to them at all? Wang Anshi's trust foundation with the Son of Heaven is no longer enough to support him as prime minister.

The key now is how to survive the new law.

Han Gang does not believe that Wang's ouster will lead to the repeal of the new law. Today's financial problems are unsolvable, and no one can give Zhao Ji a useful answer except for Wang Anshi. Although Han Gang has his own ideas, if he wants to implement them, he has to take his time, and it is impossible to achieve them overnight.

But that doesn't mean that the new law is as stable as Mount Tai. After Wang Anshi stepped down, it is very likely that the new law will be repealed or partially repealed, and then the Son of Heaven will see that the situation is not right and restore it.

There is no truth that everything can succeed without setbacks, and only by going back and forth and making Zhao Ji suffer a little will he firmly defend the new law.

Last night, from Wang Yan's mouth, Han Gang heard his father-in-law's thoughts during the time when the drought was at its worst. At that time, the phase was unstable and he was already ready to go out, Wang Anshi had the heart to recommend Han Jiang as the prime minister, and let Lu Huiqing enter the political hall.

Han Gang actually didn't agree with this. Isn't it good to let Feng Jing and Wang Qi succeed them? Let them abolish the new law and make a mess of the government, and when the time comes, Wang Anshi will clean up his hands again.

However, Wang Anshi's character will definitely not do it, that is, if he tells Wang Yan, he will definitely jump up. So Han Gang hid this in his heart and didn't say it.

Back in the room, Wang Yi was half-leaning and half-sitting on the bed, and his spirit was much better: "Is the eldest brother gone?" ”

Han Gang nodded, sat on the edge of the bed, and covered the quilt that had been dragged down.

Wang Yi looked at Han Gang's face carefully: "Big brother is here this time, is there something important?"

Wang Yi is in confinement, he can't be tired or frozen, and if he is not careful, he will fall ill.

Han Gang asked her to lie back and said with a smile: "It's okay, it's okay, you sleep a little longer, take care of your body, you don't have to worry too much about these things." He sighed, "I don't want to bother with this kind of thing." ”