Chapter 428: The Southern Tang Incident (Part 1)

After Guo Rong returned to the capital, he appointed Feng Yanlu, the general of Tang, as the minister, and appointed Zhong Mo, the former envoy of the Tang Dynasty, to go to Jiangnan to deliver the calendar of the Later Zhou Dynasty this year, and gave the Emperor Tang Dynasty's jade belt. However, unlike history, Guo Rong did not give Li Jing gold, silver utensils, cattle, sheep and horses, because after paying the pension and the cost of purchasing plowing ox, the state treasury, had no spare time to give large-scale rewards to the Southern Tang Dynasty after paying the pension and the cost of purchasing plowing oxen, after reducing taxes from dozens of prefectures and counties, he really had no energy to give large-scale rewards to the Southern Tang Dynasty.

After seeing Feng Yanlu and others, the Tang Lord was warmly welcomed him and enthroned him as Minister of Justice, but he felt a sense of humiliation. Especially after Guo Rong released 5,750 prisoners, the entire Southern Tang Dynasty praised the kindness and generosity of the Later Zhou Emperor Guo Rong, and Li Jing felt even more depressed.

In fact, this is how people are. When Guo Rong led the army to try to go south, Li Jing was very happy that Guo Rong stopped in Jiangbei; but when Guo Rong withdrew his troops and returned to the country, Li Jing was frustrated and angry that Guo Rong had occupied his land in Jiangbei.

However, his former favorite ministers did not feel the change of Li Jing, and were still excited about the peace agreement between the Southern Tang and the Later Zhou Dynasty.

In the past, Zuo Pushe and the Tong Zhang Shi Feng Yanji were appreciated by Li Jing by proposing the strategy of restoring the Central Plains and unifying the Central Plains. Now, they have finally reached peace talks, but they praise the Later Zhou Emperor Guo Rong every day, which aroused strong dissatisfaction in Li Jing.

Hanlin scholar Chang Mengxi also couldn't stand Feng Yanji and others, and often spoke to the king: "Although the words said by the evil people sound loyal, if they indulge in their sweet words, then our Tang Dynasty is in danger!" Especially when Feng Yanji's followers praised Feng Yanji and worshiped Hou Zhou in a lot, Chang Mengxi couldn't help laughing: "The gentlemen used to compare the lord (Li Jing) to Yao and Shun, but now they regard our Tang Dynasty as a "small dynasty" and the Zhou Dynasty as a "big dynasty". How ridiculous!"

Although Li Jing was forced to rebuke Chang Mengxi under the pressure of Feng Yanji and others, Li Jing was full of recognition of him in his heart. Especially after Chang Mengxi died, Li Jing felt even more guilty and disgusted with Feng Yanji and others.

Moreover, in order to change the dissatisfaction of the Later Zhou dynasty and the Southern Tang Dynasty, Li Jing once proposed his abdication. Although Guo Rong was considering many aspects, he opposed it and asked Zhong Mo to appease Li Jing and make him feel at ease to be the king. However, many people in the Southern Tang court agreed, which made Li Jing, who had the most powerful power, even more dissatisfied.

At this time, Si Tianjian did not realize the change in Li Jing's attitude, so he actually submitted a memorial, which said: "The star signs in the sky have undergone serious changes. The king should put aside all government affairs to resolve this disaster."

When Li Jing received this memorial, his heart became extremely cold. He suppressed his anger and told Li Zhenggu, the deputy envoy of Privy Councilor, and asked him about his opinions. He said to him: "The national crisis is in great importance. I want to put down all government affairs and practice with purity. I don't know who can entrust political affairs?"

In Li Jing's view, although Li Zhenggu was unruly, he openly scolded himself when the Zhou army went south, but was still loyal to him. After he told this, Li Zhenggu would definitely strongly oppose it.

(When the Zhou army won a series of victories in the past, Li Jing was panicked and sighed with tears in his eyes: "My country has reached this point, which is really sad!" Li Zhenggu retorted loudly: "Your Majesty should train troops and horses to resist the enemy. What's the use of crying?! Could it be that I drink too much wine, or can't wait for the wet nurse to feed it?!" Li Jing's face changed drastically, but Li Zhenggu's expression was natural!)

But Li Jing did not expect that Li Zhenggu nodded repeatedly and said quickly: "The Grand Tutor of Song (Qiqiu) is proficient in government affairs. If Your Majesty is tired of handling government affairs, why would you entrust these government affairs to him temporarily?"

Li Jing was furious, but pretended to be happy and went to ask Chen Jue for his opinion. Chen Jue was also blinded by power and did not see Li Jing's temptation. He also smiled and said, "Song Chu Duke (Song Qiqiu was named Chu Duke) was proficient in political affairs and loyal to the court. Your Majesty can entrust important tasks. In the future, Your Majesty will live in the palace, and those troublesome national affairs can be handed over to Song Duke for ruling and implementation, and then report it. At that time, we can enter the palace from time to time to talk about Buddhism and Taoism, which is a pleasure!"

Li Jing was furious, but he found that there was no one around him who could entrust important tasks. As a last resort, he ordered Chen Qiao, the secretary of the Secretariat, to draft an edict and entrust state affairs to Song Qiqiu.

Chen Qiao was shocked and immediately entered the palace to ask for a meeting. He said to Li Jing: "If Your Majesty issues this edict, then our Tang Kingdom will become the object of Song Qiqiu's hand. I will never see Your Majesty again!"

Seeing Chen Qiao crying and trying his best to stop him, Li Jing was not angry but happy and said with a smile: "It is really a blessing for me to have a loyal minister like you in the Tang Dynasty! This is the case with the state. Even if it arouses the anger of the Zhou Dynasty, it is much better than the usurpation of the country by powerful ministers!"

So Li Jing immediately ordered Li Zhenggu to go to Jiangnan West Road to serve as deputy envoy of King Jin, the governor of Zhennan Army, and at the same time he was relieved of his position as deputy envoy of Privy Councilor. Feng Yanji was removed from his position as left servant of the Left Pushe, and the position of Tong Pingzhangshi, and was renamed as the Prince's Tutor; Chen Jue was removed from his position as the Minister of War, and only his position as the Minister of War was retained.

After some adjustments, most of Song Qiqiu's wings were cut off, and Li Jing immediately paused, afraid of attracting Guo Rong's attention. At this time, Chen Jue and others also noticed the crisis. They were never willing to wait for death and approached their minds to fight back. After thinking about it, they decided to question Li Jing in the name of Guo Rong and get rid of Li Jing's confidant Yan Xu. Anyway, Li Jing could not meet Guo Rong because of such a trivial matter.

Sure enough, when Chen Jue returned to Jiangnan from Later Zhou, he immediately falsely circulated Guo Rong's order: "I heard that the cause of Jiangnan's resistance to the central government in recent years was the conspiracy of Yan Xu in the same Pingzhangshi. If you are really loyal to the Great Zhou, you should present Yan Xu's head to show sincerity!"

Li Jing was shocked, but he finally supported Yan Xulai to fight against Song Qiqiu, Chen Jue and others, so how could he give up easily? At Zhong Mo's suggestion, Li Jing removed Yan Xu from his subordinate minister and his position as the position of Tong Pingzhangshi, and changed him to the young tutor of the crown prince. At the same time, Zhong Mo quietly sent Zhong Mo to advise Guo Rong: "The Tang Dynasty has come to fight against the central government during this period, mainly because I was young and energetic in the past, so I was ignorant and coma, so I did the above stupid things, which had nothing to do with Yan Xu. Now the minister has been removed from his subordinate minister and his position as Tong Pingzhangshi. I hope Your Majesty will forgive his crimes and not be as knowledgeable as him!"

Guo Rong, who was relatively loyal, did not realize Li Jing's original intention of temptation. After hearing Zhong Mo's words, he expressed his appreciation for Yan Xu.

After Zhong Mo returned to the Southern Tang Dynasty, Li Jing was even more angry when he learned the truth about Chen Jue's fake orders to go to the country. In addition, Guo Rong was unintentionally interfering in the internal affairs of the Southern Tang Dynasty, Li Jing immediately decided to attack Song Qiqiu, Chen Jue and others!


Chapter completed!