The fact that Privy Councilor Zhang Jun had no choice but to leave the capital and go south to supervise the army was regarded by both the government and the public as a huge victory for the provincial prime minister, Zhao Ding. However, Zhao Ding himself kept a secret about it and even repeatedly criticized some people who tried to do so.

If you make a fuss about this matter, the people who flatter you will be severely scolded.

However, no matter what Zhao Ding's attitude was, Zhang Jun, who was forced to leave the capital to supervise the army, went south with a strong emotion of frustration and resentment. This young privy minister, who had always had a fierce personality, regarded this incident as a great shame and humiliation.

...However, he knew that he was going south with a serious political mission, and that there was a major military matter ahead of him, and he knew that if he wanted to win back the victory, he had to let his supervisor have an immediate effect, and he had to let Yue Fei

Success in one fell swoop.

Therefore, traveling all the way south, when he reached Nanyang, Zhang Deyuan more or less put things in Tokyo on hold for the time being, and turned his attention to the war in the south.

However, starting from Nanyang, the further south he went, the more he learned about the war in the south, and Zhang Jun became more and more uneasy, because Yue Fei's performance was really unacceptable.

This kind of panic and wavering reached a climax after Zhang Jun arrived in Xiangyang and saw Xi Yi, the new transfer envoy to the west of Beijing after Liu Ji entered the capital, and Ma Shen, the Hubei economic envoy who took the initiative to come north to greet him.

"Does Prime Minister Zhang think I am trying to get angry with Yue Dutong?"

The two sides met in the official office of Xiangyang, and they only exchanged a few words before talking about the war. As soon as Zhang Jun defended Yue Fei, Hubei Economic Strategy envoy Ma Shen glared at him and stood up to scold him. "I still thought I was competing with him for credit, so I went out of my way to

Slander him? Mr. Zhang, since you are Mr. Xian, you must be fair as Mr. Xian. Don’t ignore the truth and defend him at the local level just because you protect him in the central government!”

Zhang Jun had no choice but to stand up and face each other, to give him kind words and to treat him politely.

There was no way, Ma Shen had extremely senior qualifications and very special political capital... On that day, the Jingkang Zhongjin people succeeded. When all the clans were detained and the Song Dynasty actually surrendered, Ma Shen, as a representative of the remaining officials in Tokyo,

He wrote an extremely tough document, asking the Jin people to return the Zhao clan and continue the Zhao and Song Dynasties. Although he was unsuccessful, Zhang Bangchang fell into considerable isolation... Not to mention whether this was considered a support.

However, compared to Zhao Ding, Zhang Jun, Hu Yin and others who fled to Taixue, they were all extremely wealthy anyway.

Among them, what is more worth mentioning is that Qin Hui, as Ma Shen's boss at the time, did not send it directly to the Jin people after receiving the document. Instead, he rewrote a new document with soft wording, and finally returned it.

Because this document was taken to the Jin camp and valued by Nianhan, he never returned... In all fairness, given the circumstances at the time, it was hard to say whether Ma Shen's document was more effective or Qin Hui's document was more appropriate, but the two

The difference in personality is undoubtedly reflected in the two documents with the same theme and different artistic conception.

"I know that Yue Fei has delayed excessively, and I also know the difficulties in various places in Hubei, Jiangxi, and western Beijing." Zhang Jun finally persuaded the other party to sit down, but he had to continue to explain carefully. "But look at his words and thoughts.

, after all, it is to reduce the number of killings and to recruit people first, and officials have always said that all clans are in the north, so he regards the people as relatives, the country as a clan, and the benevolence of the emperor must also be considered."

Ma Shen sneered: "Of course I know that he not only relies on your protection as Prime Minister Zhang, but also the emperor's favor."

Zhang Jun didn't know how to persuade him, and Xi Yi took the opportunity to cough lightly.

Ma Shen understood and knew that this was already a vague rebuke to Cheng Yu, insinuating that the emperor favored military men, so he simply stopped talking - he came north to pick up Zhang Jun this time just to put pressure on him, and to use Zhang Jun's support.

Jun urged Yue Fei to march quickly, but since his attitude was conveyed, he didn't bother to say anything.

"Prime Minister." Seeing the awkward situation, Xi Yi, the transfer envoy to the west of Beijing, stood up and faced Zhang Jun from behind. "In Hubei, Jiangxi, and even in the west of Beijing, the military governors of the three routes have impeached Yue Fei. It is absolutely impossible for them all to impeach Yue Fei.

He had malicious intentions... In fact, Yue Fei and his former imperial camp troops were Ji Feiran, and Yue Fei himself was known as a loyal and brave man. At the beginning, when the three people on the road saw that he was the one who came to quell the rebellion, they were actually very happy in their hearts.

When he made rapid progress in the early stage and was even more praised by his superiors and subordinates, if the prime minister didn't believe it, he could have checked the documents handed over by the three military states at that time; even if he later wanted to change his position to appeasement, the central government should also go to the post.

Although there are gradually complaints from above and below, it is not to the level it is now; there are just some things that are really hard for people to talk about easily."

"Just say it." Zhang Jun was frustrated and could only urge.

"It's just a guess by the lower official." Xi Yi also sighed softly. "Yue Dutong's actions in Jiangling Mansion seem to be 'playing with the enemy'."

"What is playing with the enemy?" Zhang Deyuan frowned in confusion. He was really puzzled. "If you say you indulge the enemy and nourish the enemy, that's fine. What is playing with the enemy?"

"The word play is brilliant!" Ma Shen, who was sitting there, laughed before Xi Yi could explain. "If he were defeated, he would have nothing to say. It was because of the word play that all three people on the road were angry."

Xi Yi sighed again, and then calmly told Zhang Jun a very representative incident in Yue Fei's caressing.

In other words, after Yue Fei quickly wiped out the bandit army north of Dongting Lake, he changed the situation to appeasement.

During this period, his main troops were basically stationed in the north of Dongting Lake. Specifically, except for the fact that Baling, the capital of Yuezhou (later Yueyang), was too important, so he deployed 3,000 troops, most of his troops were actually stationed in Yuezhou.

They were stationed in Huarong, Huzhou and Anxiang, Huzhou.

And about thirty miles south of Huarong, next to Dongting Lake, there is a water village set up by Zhong Xiang, called Gulou Village. There is a general in the village called Yang Guang, who is the Marshal of the Puppet Chu State Yang Yao.

The tribesmen... Considering that the water is shallow in winter and the entire Gulou Village is exposed on the land, it can be said that there is no danger to defend. It can be regarded as a piece of meat hanging on the lips of the imperial camp's front army.

Therefore, as a matter of course, Yue Fei's recruitment work started from here, and the effect could be said to be immediate. Yang Guang looked left and right and found that he was indeed in a dead end, so he immediately chose to surrender.

Correspondingly, Yue Fei neither disarmed Yang Guang's subordinates nor occupied Gulouzhai. Instead, as a military envoy, Yue Fei directly granted him a military position and provided valuable logistical provisions and ordnance as rewards and supplements.

Then let this person lead the old troops to garrison in Gulou Village.

With such a move, it can only be said that Yue Fei is really magnanimous. Although the surrounding military governors are dissatisfied, they have nothing to say... You have to buy bones with a lot of money, right?

However, just two days later, when Yue Fei continued to move west and south along the west bank of Dongting Lake to recruit these water villages, Yang Guang, as the first person to surrender, accepted the money and food from the army. After his official position,

I don’t know if he got in touch with Zhong Xiang and Yang Yao who were behind him on the south bank of Dongting Lake, or if he had already planned it, or if he was never convinced. Anyway, he took advantage of Yue Fei’s free time to go to the west of the lake and suddenly chose to raise the flag again.

Open betrayal.

Yang Guang's repeated actions also caused the leaders of many large and small water villages in the west of Dongting Lake who were in contact with Yue Fei to feel hesitant and immediately gave up contact with the army.

So far, there is still no problem... This kind of thing is too common, no one can blame Yue Fei for this.

However, Yue Dutong's next actions were incomprehensible.

Let us also say that after Yue Fei heard the news, he immediately set out. The formation was like thunder. One night, he personally led an army to Gulou Village. Under the power of the thunder, Yang Guang was completely unprepared and could only directly pray for surrender, but Yue Fei actually agreed again.

He defeated the other party. Moreover, he did not send troops into Gulou Village, nor did he speak to Yang Guang face to face. He directly recognized the other party's surrender and then returned to Huarong.

Not to mention this, after returning to Huarong, he once again issued military documents to Yang Guang, with a higher official position. Along with the documents, a new batch of grain, grass, money and silk arrived at Gulou Village.

Hearing this, Zhang Jun looked a little helpless, but smiled bitterly: "I guess it was Yang Guang who rebelled later? If so, Yue Dutong's move is indeed a bit ridiculous. A famous national general was played by a petty thief."

"Four times." Xi Yi suddenly stretched out four fingers.

"What?" Zhang Deyuan and Mr. Zhang obviously didn't react.

"Within two months, Yang Guang was recruited four times and rebelled three times." Xi Yi's expression remained unchanged and his words were calm. "Yue Dutong also awarded him military positions four times, each time getting higher and higher, and he received more food and grass money.

There are more and more silks every time, and they still don't occupy Gulouzhai every time... To be honest with the Prime Minister, the three-pronged army and the state, especially the state school where the fleeing soldiers and people are settled, have been setting up bets recently.

Bet on when Yang Guang will rebel for the fourth time?"

Zhang Jun was stunned.

"If that's all, then that's it!" Ma Shen, who had been silent for a long time, suddenly interrupted in the audience. "He is a handsome and handsome minister, and he has his own considerations when marching and fighting, whether it is for personal dignity, or he wants to imitate the story about the seven captures of Meng Huo.

It was always his decision to show sincerity... What kind of warriors have we not seen since Jingkang? I was the only one standing by as the envoy of Hubei Economic Strategy, but I only saw tens of thousands of his troops fighting for a small village.

Yang Guang was wasting his time there for several months without actually making any progress. And in such a village near the lake, Zhong Xiang had set up a total of forty traitors! For example, in various villages in Huxi, I talked with him for more than a month, but because Yang Guang repeatedly refused

Stop, no village before or after has surrendered, but they are constantly asking for money and silk! According to private rumors among the villages in Huxi, if those village leaders had not been beaten by Yue Fei in Hubei before, they would almost regard this dignified commander-in-chief and national commander as a fool.

!”

Zhang Deyuan was already weak and unable to cope.

"More than that, these days, although Prime Minister Zhong, Yang Yao and other traitors have lost all land in Hubei, they have taken the opportunity to expand massively in land in Hunan." Before Zhang Jun could respond, Xi Yi continued to add calmly. "Prime Minister Zhong's real name is Da.

Grandpa Sheng was renamed the King of Chu, his son was called the Prince, Yang Yao was called the Marshal, and his nickname was Junpingfu. He dismissed the officials. Everywhere he went, he killed officials, officials, scholars, monks, and Taoist priests, and then he

These people’s land is divided among them, and one land is exempted from paying money and grain. This is all nonsense to deceive the public..."

"They were going against the idea of ​​increasing taxes in the past." Zhang Jun was already exhausted. "It is normal to take this step, and it is impossible to really have no taxes. Otherwise, where would the money and food for soldiers and horses come from?"

"It must be so." Xi Yi remained calm. "But how do the people down there know? They only know that there are no taxes, no taxes, and land in Hunan, but Hubei has to sell iron to supply tens of thousands of troops.

When I go out to work...In the winter before, I could just ignore some things with half-open eyes, but during the spring plowing season that just passed, some things became apparent, and the local officials couldn't help but hesitate."

Zhang Jun was silent and unable to respond. Although he had no experience as a grassroots local official, no matter how stupid he was, he knew that spring plowing and agricultural production were the biggest indicators of a local official's performance. So the wave of impeachment of Yue Fei among the three grassroots officials after the Chinese New Year was also unreasonable.

It's completely understandable - this is for the central government to recognize that the current situation of massive destruction of spring plowing is caused by Yue Fei's wanton behavior, not that they are irresponsible.

However, after all is said and done, it is indeed Yue Fei's problem. He has tens of thousands of troops and is just "playing with the enemy" there. The central national strategy is delayed, the local spring plowing production is delayed, and the high-level places sandwiched in the middle are delayed.

The commander has to bear the pressure of the war situation, but he cannot go beyond the center to interfere with the official's favorite general.

So whether from the perspective of officialdom logic or basic political and military responsibilities, it is not an exaggeration to say that Yue Fei incurred impeachment and siege.

"Prime Minister." Xi Yi continued, but Zhang Jun got wet again. "Now there is another important matter... Spring plowing has passed, and it is no longer possible to pursue it. According to experience, February will arrive soon.

, the spring floods are coming soon, and by then the water in Dongting Lake will rise, and if we continue to suppress them, it will be half the result with twice the result, and the Zhong Yang rebels will also have great confidence, and even if they want to appease them by then, I am afraid it will be difficult. "

Zhang Jun was completely speechless and could only nod and admit defeat: "I have learned all about Yue Fei's misdeeds and will go south to Huarong immediately. I must ask Yue Pengju to give a deadline for countering the rebellion!"

Ma Shen and Xi Yi looked at each other and sighed... This is the ultimate goal of their trip, otherwise what else could they do?

In this way, Zhang Jun hurriedly arrived in Xiangyang as the Prime Minister. He only had a conversation with two local officials in the city, and then he fully realized the embarrassment and difficulty of the situation. Then he didn't even stay overnight and went out to the south of the city again.

Exit. Ma Shen, as Hubei's economic envoy, also went south. However, Xi Yi, the transshipment envoy to the west of Beijing, who had been sorting out logistics in Xiangyang these days, no longer needed to keep up.

And it was this Xi Yi who sent the other two people out of Xiangyang City. When he saw the two people getting on their horses and preparing to go south at high speed under the escort of the Imperial Ban Zhi, he couldn't help but sigh for a moment: "Prime Minister, I still have you.

The last words..."

Although it was just a one-time encounter, Zhang Jun had the best impression of Xi Yi, so he naturally nodded immediately: "Xi Caosi, just say it."

"The current situation is still going on. The Jin people are still watching with strong troops in Hebei, the two saints are still hunting in the north, and the puppet Qi is still lying on the side of the couch." Xi Yi sighed from under his horse. "So the emperor treats his commanders and generals favorably, and

In fact, the civil and military forces were separated, and the commanders and generals were kept within themselves. However, many civil servants did not realize this at all. They only thought that after the war of Yaoshan, the world became stable and it was time to return to the past situation, so they often used the mentality before Jingkang

Looking at the generals, whether intentionally or unintentionally, they want to urge the court to take over the authority of the generals... As everyone knows, the officials are in the ban, and they have their own powerful military style. This kind of thing will never be allowed to happen, and the prime minister, as a privy envoy, is in the position of the monarch and his ministers.

Between civil and military affairs, if you want to face such things head-on, you must be cautious, fair, and pure, so that you can report it to the emperor and secure all officials."
To be continued...