The fifth year of Chengping, mid-June.

Zheng Ze, the governor of Yingzhou, intercepted taxes, money and food in Jiangnan for the second time. Emperor Zhao Zhi was furious and immediately issued an edict to reprimand Zheng Ze for having no other ministers. He then frequently summoned the prime ministers to discuss matters.

On the fifth day of the seventh month, Emperor Zhao Zhi summoned all the ministers to openly discuss the matter of Zheng Ze, the governor of Yingzhou, intercepting taxes, money and food in Jiangnan.

Liu Jie, the left prime minister of the Political Affairs Hall and the Minister of War, was the most intense. He angrily accused Zheng Ze of being rebellious and ignored the court. He sent troops to attack him and presented memorials from the deputy envoy of Jiangnan Jiedu, Hong and Jiang Jieduan, Zhao Baian, saying that he could not bear Zheng Ze's behavior of having no monarch or ministers, and expressed his willingness to send troops to attack him.

Right Prime Minister Yang Daosi also agreed to send troops, but the opposition sent Fengjing Imperial Army to attack, but hoped that Zhao Zhi would issue an edict to dispatch the governors of other states to encircle and suppress Zheng Ze.

Since the death of the revival of the generation, Emperor Wuzong, he has gone through the three dynasties of Emperor Xizong, Emperor Yizong, and Emperor Pingzong, and was 62 years old. These three emperors all have one common characteristic: they are very happy with merit, have great ambitions and talent, favor eunuchs, relatives with villains, far away from wise ministers, like pomp and beloved women, and have led to the decline of the government, villains are in power, loyal ministers are destroyed, politically corrupt, corrupt officials are rampant, and the Jin Dynasty, which once dominated the world, has been very declining.

Until Zhao Zhi succeeded to the throne, the Jin Dynasty finally ushered in a decent emperor. Although Zhao Zhi was not a great wise lord, he was extremely thrifty, good at managing government affairs, very decisive, good at accepting words, suppressing the eunuchs internally, and dared to delegate power to the outside world. With his efforts to govern, the Jin Dynasty, which was facing collapse, finally had some rebirth.

However, the national power of the Jin Dynasty had finally declined. Since the ninth year of Tiangui, Pingzong listened to the words of the good ministers and intended to destroy the Hebei vassal states, which caused great chaos in Hebei. Pingzong ignored the opposition of civil and military officials of the court, and raised troops from all over the country and led 300,000 central imperial troops to personally lead the army. As a result, the entire army was destroyed. Pingzong returned to the court seriously injured and died soon afterwards.

Although the five major vassal states in Hebei ended when they were good, they did not intend to destroy the Jin Dynasty. They then apologized and made peace with the court, but the 300,000 elite imperial guards were killed and injured, and the court had no strong soldiers in hand. The governors from all over the country were ready to act, and many of them were offended.

After Zhao Zhi ascended the throne, he could only endure it again and again, comfort the governors from all over the country with high officials and high titles. At the same time, relying on Jiangnan taxes to reorganize the Central Imperial Army. After more than ten years, he gradually achieved a certain scale and improvement. Unfortunately, in the 15th year of the White Turban Army Rebellion, 50,000 Imperial Army was wiped out, and the imperial army was hit hard again. Until five years passed, Zhao Zhi reduced the imperial expenses of the imperial court and saved food and clothing himself. Only then did he recover his vitality, and the Central Imperial Army restored to the 150,000 amount.

It can be said that since Zhao Zhi became emperor and now, the Jin Dynasty has not perished in the storm, but has gradually improved in his hands. In addition to Zhao Zhi himself dared to employ people and had many good ministers around him, taxes and money in Jiangnan are also an extremely important factor. If the world's annual tax is divided into 100%, Jiangnan alone will occupy 50% of it. Therefore, Zhao Zhi can tolerate turmoil in other places, but will definitely not allow any accidents in Jiangnan.

The taxes on Jiangnan Road this year will be divided into seven batches for two months from April to May, and the first two batches will be transported to Fengjing in succession. The first two batches went smoothly, but in the third and fourth batches, they were all intercepted by Zheng Ze, the governor of Yingzhou. The Political Affairs Hall issued a questioning article, but Zheng Ze ignored them. He neither admitted his mistake nor said what the reason for this behavior was. He showed his rebellion. Zhao Zhi could no longer bear it and finally wanted to send troops to wipe out.

The taxes in Jiangnan are related to the destiny of the country. The civil and military attitudes of the court are very unified, that is, such rebellious people must be eliminated, but the form of sending troops is divided into two factions.

The faction, represented by the Left Prime Minister of the Political Affairs Hall and the Minister of War Liu Jie, suggested that General Huang Sui, the General of Anguo, be the Grand Governor of Pingnan, lead 50,000 imperial guards to Jiangnan to wipe out Zheng Ze.

Another faction, represented by the right prime minister Yang Daosi, strongly opposed sending the imperial guards out to fight, but hoped to deal with other military governors to eliminate Zheng Ze. Even the general of Anguo, Huang Su, himself, attached Liu Jie's views and opposed the imperial guards out to fight.

Zhao Zhi was extremely dissatisfied with this and scolded Huang Su on the spot for having no courage and loyalty to the emperor. He also said angrily that he would never regard you as the leading general, and then announced the severance of the court.

After lunch, Li Xun was about to take a nap, but an eunuch came in a hurry and said that Concubine Li asked Li Xun to come to the palace to discuss matters.

As the eunuch entered the imperial city and headed towards Changle Palace, he met an official with his head down and hurriedly approaching him.

Li Xun grabbed him. He knew this person, Wang Zhong, the head of the Ministry of War. Seeing that he was holding some books in his hand, he knew that he must have just come out of Emperor Zhao Zhi.

"Mr. Wang, but have just come out of the emperor?"

Wang Zhong looked up and saw that it was Li Xun, so he smiled and nodded and said, "Your Majesty is discussing matters with all the prime ministers. I ordered me to convey the recent memorials and chapters of Jiangnan. I am just busy and I am about to leave the palace."

Li Xun was not an official and would not have any social relationship with Wang Zhong, but Li Xun liked to read history and was very interested in military affairs. He often pulled Wang Zhong to ask questions. At first, Wang Zhong was very impatient and ignored him. Once something happened at Wang Zhong's family and he had no money to turn around. After Li Xun found out, he generously lent him 500 taels of silver. It has been several years since Li Xun never asked him to ask for a loan. Wang Zhong was very grateful for this, and his attitude towards Li Xun changed a lot.

"Mr. Wang, recently the emperor often summoned all the prime ministers of the Political Affairs Hall to discuss matters for several hours, but what happened?"

Li Xun asked softly. In the past month, Li Xun went to her aunt's place several times. During the conversation, he learned that Zhao Zhi seemed to be in a very bad mood recently and was very busy. He didn't go to her place once for several days. Li Xun guessed that something must have happened in the court.

Wang Zhong thought about it and found that this matter was not a secret, so it would be okay to say it to Li Xun, so he whispered: "A big incident happened in Jiangnan, and the court may have to use troops to him."

Li Xun was interested: "Which military governor was causing trouble?"

Wang Zhong said: "The governor of Yingzhou intercepted taxes from Jiangnan. His Majesty wanted to send imperial guards to quell the chaos, but he was opposed by many ministers. Even the prime ministers of the Political Affairs Hall were different. His Majesty summoned the prime ministers of the Political Affairs Hall to persuade them, and wanted to unify the opinions of the Political Affairs Hall first."

Li Xun smiled and said, "There are dozens of military governors in various places. One day, no one will not cause trouble? I have never seen the emperor care so much before!"

"This time it's different. The stability of Jiangnan Road is related to the foundation of the country. How can Your Majesty allow others to get involved?"

Wang Zhong shook his head and said, "I can't talk to you anymore. I'm going to rush back to the Ministry of War. There are still many things waiting for me to do!"

"Sir Wang walked slowly! I have time to invite you to drink."

Li Xun nodded and said with a smile.

Wang Zhong left, looking at his departure back, Li Xun suddenly thought that his aunt asked him to come to the palace to discuss matters at this time. Is it related to this?
Chapter completed!