Chapter 308 The Consequences of Angering the Song Dynasty

In the first half of the fifth year of the Qingli reign, after Yang Cha arrived in the southwest, he immediately began to integrate resources.

First, the local garrison troops in Guangnan West Road were concentrated. There were not many people, only more than 10,000 people, which was basically all the troops in the entire Guangnan West Road.

Historically, Guangxi was either conquered by Vietnam or by the rebels of Nong Zhigao. It was not because they were so strong, but because Guangxi was very weak.

There were only a few thousand people in Yongzhou City, and the court had also cut down the old and weak in the past two years, so the troops in Guangxi were further reduced.

This amount of troops was definitely not enough, so Yang Cha asked Nong Zhigao to immediately contact the leaders of the border people who were often harassed by the Yue people on the border and invite them to send troops together.

For a time, a large number of troops in Guangxi Road gathered, and food and grass were also transported from neighboring provinces such as Guangdong and Hunan through the Lingqu Canal, and the Yongzhou government treasury was piled up like a mountain.

At the same time, Di Qing's mighty army also left Bianliang, and also went by land through the Nanyang Basin to Xiangyang, and then took a boat all the way south, passing through the Han River, the Yangtze River, and the Xiang River to enter the Lingqu Canal.

Thanks to Zhao Jun's early allocation of a lot of money to carry out large-scale repairs on the Lingqu Canal, otherwise, although the 10,000 troops were not many, the weapons, food, firearms, tents and other military supplies they carried with them weighed thousands of tons, and it was not certain that they could arrive smoothly.

Historically, Nong Zhigao started in April of the fourth year of Huangyou and broke through Yongzhou in May.

The court immediately sent Di Qing to go there after receiving the news, but Di Qing did not arrive in Yongzhou until the end of the year. It can be seen that it took at least half a year from Nong Zhigao's rebellion to the court's reorganization of troops and horses to the expedition, and then to Guangxi.

There is no way, the journey is long, so it can only be like this.

The big move in Guangxi quickly attracted the attention of Jiaozhi. On the one hand, Jiaozhi had many internal responses in Guangxi, and it was impossible for them not to notice such a big move by the court.

Secondly, Nong Zhigao had been fighting with them, and he was suddenly summoned to be the Tongzhi of Yongzhou, which meant that the Song Dynasty court had noticed Guangxi.

In the past, the Vietnamese Li Dynasty had made small moves repeatedly, mainly because it was located in a remote area in the southwest. The Song Dynasty paid much less attention to them than the Liao Dynasty and Xixia, and even the importance of Japan's Goryeo was much greater than them.

As long as they didn't make too much trouble, attacked Guangxi, the territory of the Song Dynasty, and looted on the border, considering the cost of using troops against Jiaozhi, the Song Dynasty would just hold its nose and endure it.

But now Guangxi is not only hoarding a large amount of supplies, but also recruiting local ethnic minorities and gathering troops, as if it intends to use troops against Jiaozhi.

For a while, the Vietnamese Li Dynasty was also a little panicked.

In recent years, the Song Dynasty has become much stronger. Not only is the domestic supply abundant and the grain harvest abundant, but even on the international stage, it has been shining with several defeats against Xixia and Liao.

So if the Song Dynasty was weak, the Song Dynasty could still tolerate the small moves in the past, but now it may really want to raise an army to punish them.

Thinking that before the establishment of the Le Dynasty, Jiaozhi had always been occupied by the Central Plains Dynasty, even if there were occasional rebellions and independence, they were soon destroyed by the Central Plains Dynasty, and Li Fuma, the King of the Li Dynasty, was a little panicked.

In the history of Vietnam, Li Fuma was one of the wise monarchs who could be shown off. During his reign, he worked hard to govern the country, and the prosperity of the Li Viet period was basically laid by him.

But no matter what, the size of Li Viet was here, and it was still a world apart from the Song Dynasty.

Therefore, after discussing with Taiwei Guo Shengyi, Taibao Tao Chuzhong, Privy Envoy Li Fengxiao, and dozens of other civil and military ministers Li Zhengxian, Li Zaiyan, Du Qing, Liang Maocai, Feng Zhineng, Banshi Yonghe, Ban Duxingru, etc., they decided to send envoys to send the Song Dynasty a white elephant.

Li Fuma did this for so many years. Since the Zhao Heng period, the Li Dynasty has sent envoys to pay tribute many times. Every time there was a problem on the border, the Song Dynasty issued a letter of reprimand, and they immediately sent ministers to the Song Dynasty to make peace.

Many of these civil and military officials had repeatedly served as envoys to the Song Dynasty. They were all important officials in the court, such as the Deputy Privy Councilor, the Commander of the Palace, the Three Dukes and Three Masters, etc.

They only took care of the Song Dynasty for the sake of appearance, but they still invaded the Song Dynasty as they should.

Every time they sent envoys to repair the border, they began to harass the border within two years, sometimes moving the border line and occupying the territory of the Song Dynasty. Sometimes they crossed the border to abduct border residents, burn, kill and loot.

Seeing that the Song Dynasty seemed to be going to make a real move this year, Li Fuma naturally wanted to repeat the old trick.

In any case, in their view, the Li Dynasty was located in a remote area, and the Song Dynasty's large-scale attack would not be worth the loss. As long as they took care of the Song Dynasty for the sake of appearance, they should be able to stop.

Soon it was June, and when Di Qing arrived in Guilin, Guangxi, and was about to go to Yongzhou, the letter from the Li Dynasty was quickly sent to Bianliang.

In early June, it was the end of summer, and the weather did not show any sign of cooling down.

After the Little Ice Age, the world began to warm up. It was torture to live without air conditioning in summer, especially in Henan and Hebei. In May this year, Henan suffered a drought.

If the court had not provided disaster relief in time and taken this opportunity to allocate silver and hire local young men to repair water conservancy, many people would have starved to death.

In the Constitutional Court, it should have been a leisurely time at noon, but it was very hurried.

Inside and outside the house, many clerks and other officials of the Constitutional Court came in and out, as if something big had happened.

But in fact, it was not a big deal, but there were too many official documents piled up in the past few years.

Taking advantage of the summer, Zhao Jun asked people to clean and screen, and keep the useful ones in the yard to dry them. The useless ones were thrown into the warehouse and kept in the archive warehouse first.

The blazing sun was shining and the room was stuffy. Although the doors and windows were open for ventilation, it still made people feel upset. There were more than ten prime ministers in the room, and only Zhao Jun, Fan Zhongyan, Yan Shu, Jiang Tang, Cai Qi, and Song Shou were there. .

They are all under sixty years old, have strong bodies, are still in the prime of life, and can still hold on despite the scorching heat.

The other prime ministers are all in their sixties or seventies, and they are indeed a little unable to bear it.

For example, Lu Yijian and Wang Zeng have gradually recovered their health during this period. Although they have aged a lot, they quickly returned to work and continued to work. However, because the weather was too hot, they went home to rest.

"It's finally sorted out. We should make big moves again this year." Fan Zhongyan wiped the sweat from his forehead, sorted out the official documents in his hand, and prepared to hand them over to Zhao Zhen for final review in the afternoon.

After half a year of deliberation, he and Zhao Jun negotiated the content of this year's reforms from the very beginning. Finally, after deleting the increase several times to ensure that it would not arouse the opposition of many prime ministers in the Constitutional Yuan, he discussed it with everyone.

But even so, everyone has their own opinions. Some people think that making such a big move and nationwide mobilization after just two good years will cause financial depletion and national turmoil.

Some people also think that since the future will be steam-powered, and cement factories, brick factories and other factories are also expanding on a large scale, the roads in the future should be cement roads, or even brick roads, instead of continuing to build rammed earth roads now.

In the future, after a large-scale restoration of dirt roads, we will immediately start building brick roads and cement roads. Will it lead to financial duplication, continuous investment that will be difficult to recover, and ultimately lead to waste?

For this reason, Zhao Jun could only explain patiently.

First, through the budget of the Ministry of Finance, the annual large-scale infrastructure expenditure allocated is about 30 million yuan. This money is saved from the original redundant military expenditure and will not damage the foundation of the national treasury.

Secondly, there is the problem of brick and stone roads and cement roads, including trains. Since it takes eight years for rubber to grow, Zhao Jun believes that it should be at least ten years before construction can be started, and two to thirty years before it can be completely popularized.

After all, the main function of cement roads is to supply cars. It is still too luxurious for horse-drawn carriages to use cement roads. When steam engines cannot yet be mass-produced and steam power cannot be built on a large scale, just like canals, ensuring the infrastructure construction of ancient society is the best way.

Therefore, if it can still be used for at least thirty years in the future, ordinary rammed earth roads will be built first. When steam engines become popular in the future, electricity and internal combustion engines will even be developed through steam power, starting the second industrial revolution, and then brick and stone roads will be built. Cement roads are not too late either.

So after three or four months, the Constitutional Yuan finally unified its opinions and made reforms and related major matters ranging from politics, military, economy, agriculture, education, science and technology, medical care, diplomacy, culture, infrastructure and even natural resources. measure.

This reform opinion should be the last reform of the Song Dynasty from an agricultural country to a primary industrial country of the first industrial revolution. It involves all aspects and the entire social order, which will produce huge changes.

"What's wrong, so happy?"

At this time, Zhao Jun came in from the outside and saw Fan Zhongyan's face beaming with joy, and couldn't help but be curious.

Fan Zhongyan smiled and said: "Isn't it finalized at the meeting this morning? I have organized and summarized the contents of the meeting and everything. I will finalize it with the officials in the afternoon, stamp it with a jade seal, and then it will be officially released."

"Well, then go ahead and do it boldly."

Zhao Jun said that he came to his seat, tidied up a little and left.

Seeing this, Yan Shu wondered: "Hanlong, where are you going?"

"I just went to the official's house for dinner. On the way back, the Academy of Sciences reported it, and I'm going to inspect it."

Zhao Jun said.

"oh?"

Fan Zhongyan, Cai Qi, Song Shou, Jiang Tang and others all looked over.

Yan Shu smiled and said: "Is there another surprise for the Academy of Sciences?"

In recent years, the Academy of Sciences has been constantly surprises, including the development of mathematics, physics research, and even chemical experiments.

They even developed the garlic refining method, the glass refining method and the soap refining method under Zhao Zhen's instructions. For a time, Zhao Zhen's reputation as a great inventor became more and more popular among the people.

The most important thing is that Zhao Zhen also helped them build a relatively scientific system. In terms of mathematics, Zhao Zhen was confused, but in chemistry and physics, Zhao Zhen established the periodic table of elements and invented Zhao's mechanics, Zhao's optics, and Zhao's third... The law of one and so on.

So much so that the group of scholars at the Academy of Sciences who were dedicated to studying science were stunned. They all praised Zhao Zhen as a god who came to the world, and worshiped him as an academic master. They almost carved a wooden sculpture for him on the spot.

Zhao Jun said: "Didn't the official study electromagnetic force at the beginning of this year? He made a Tesla coil himself and named it Zhao's coil. The Academy of Sciences has already made it. Let me go and take a look."

"Awesome, worthy of being an official."

"It is truly a blessing from heaven to have such a wise and powerful emperor in our Song Dynasty."

"I really want to see the development of electricity one day."

Several prime ministers were deeply moved for a while.

Although these things were done on the computer that Zhao Jun brought, Zhao Jun did not have time to do it himself.

Instead, Zhao Zhen stayed in the palace with nothing to do every day and had time to guess.

As a result, Zhao Jun was helping him govern the country, but Zhao Zhen, a non-traveler, made inventions and creations, which was an outrageous thing.

But there is nothing we can do.

Zhao Jun himself didn't know how to do many things, or even if he knew how to do them, he didn't have that much time.

Compared to inventions, governing the country is definitely more important.

If Zhao Jun concentrated on inventions, and let Zhao Zhen, Lü Yijian, Wang Zeng and other laymen govern the country, wouldn't the Song Dynasty be in trouble?

"Okay, I'll go to the Academy of Sciences first."

Zhao Jun smiled.

When he was about to turn around and go out, someone hurried in and reported: "Report, Jiaozhi's letter."

"Oh?"

Zhao Jun stopped and turned his head to Fan Zhongyan and others and said: "It seems that the court's big move in Guangxi has aroused the vigilance of the people of the Li Dynasty, and they have begun to pay tribute and seek peace again."

"Bring it over."

Fan Zhongyan signaled the person reporting to bring the letter.

It stands to reason that this thing is a letter, and Zhao Zhen must show it first.

But the Political System Council now takes charge of the national government affairs, and Zhao Zhen now nominally controls the Political System Council at the regular meeting every afternoon, so naturally the Political System Council will check it first.

The thing was handed over, and Lao Fan took a look. The content inside was actually very simple. Li Fuma first praised the great literature and martial arts of the Song Dynasty in recent years, and congratulated the Song Dynasty for defeating the Western Xia and Liao Kingdoms.

Then he changed the subject and said that Jiaozhi "accidentally" invaded the Song territory a few years ago, and it was all misunderstandings. Some of them were made by border generals without authorization, and some were accidentally entered when arresting criminals.

He hoped that the Song Dynasty would not have a grudge against Jiaozhi because of these "misunderstandings", so he was willing to send envoys to pay tribute to the Song Dynasty and present a pair of white elephants to express his deep apology to the Song Dynasty.

"What the hell."

After reading it, Zhao Jun said speechlessly: "It's still the same as before, treating the Song Dynasty as a beggar."

"This white elephant is precious, Jiaozhi was reluctant to offer it before."

Yan Shu smiled and said: "It seems that Jiaozhi also felt fear this time and planned to offer treasures to calm the anger of the court."

"The white elephant is precious, but they think we are fools, and the several invasions are misunderstandings?"

Fan Zhongyan said angrily: "The court must fight this war, and the Li Dynasty must be destroyed."

"Yeah."

Zhao Jun nodded slightly.

Strictly speaking, although the tribute system of the Central Plains Dynasty belongs to the tribute of the vassal state, the Central Plains Dynasty will give generous gifts.

But often the Central Plains Dynasty's gifts are also measured by the value of the tribute of the vassal state.

The more you pay tribute, the more the Central Plains Dynasty will give.

So in ancient times, there were often cases where the entire country paid tribute to the Central Plains Dynasty in order to get a more generous return.

This is the case with Ryukyu.

Every time Ryukyu paid tribute, it could get several times the return from the Central Plains Dynasty.

Therefore, Ryukyu was most enthusiastic about sending envoys to pay tribute.

In the early Ming Dynasty, they had to pay tribute five or six times a year, which annoyed Zhu Di so much that he finally stipulated that Ryukyu was not allowed to pay tribute like this, and only once every two years.

The pair of white elephants in Vietnam is an extremely precious species even in later generations, and even more so in ancient times.

The Southeast Asian countries of the same period as the Northern Song Dynasty, such as the Vietnamese Dynasty, Siam, Cambodia, Angkor, and Champa, all treated white elephants as national treasures.

Therefore, Vietnam's behavior can be understood as the same as my country's gift of a pair of giant pandas to friendly countries in later generations, which is still very sincere.

But now that the sword has been raised and the horse has been put on, what's the point of you repenting?

The Song Dynasty was about to destroy the Li Dynasty of Vietnam and develop the Red River Delta into a planting base for rubber and cinchona trees.

So there is no point in apologizing again.

Zhao Jun said: "It just so happens that the court has not issued a written notice yet. Punishing without teaching is cruelty, and punishing without warning is violence. Jiaozhi has been repeatedly taught but has not changed. Their crimes should be made public and announced to all quarters. This is the result of angering the Song Dynasty!"

"Good!"

Fan Zhongyan said loudly and immediately wrote down the official document. As long as Zhao Zhen stamped his seal, it would be a document to fight against Yue!