Looking out the window from the study in Kinshoden in Tokyo, one can just see clusters of dark clouds in the sky, which seem to have transformed into various images and are surging in the wind.
Guo Shao withdrew his gaze, put down the urgent border report in his hand, and placed his brush on the inkstone. After putting down the brush, he stood up, took a strong bow, and tested the strength of the bowstring with all his strength.
Zuo You and Huang Binglian, who were helping him process the memorials in the same room, looked at him sideways at the same time. Guo Shao's face was livid, but he said nothing. He just pulled the bowstring unconsciously, and the tendons on the back of his hand were tensed up as he exerted force.
Bang bang, with the rhythm of the bowstring being pulled and released, it makes a monotonous, boring and violent sound.
Zuo You said: "Your Majesty, I think that the Liao Kingdom is in a period of internal turmoil and it is difficult to gather troops from all over the country to take the initiative to attack. This invasion should be the work of the Liao army from Youzhou. There are many strong cities and vassal states in Hebei, and the Liao army from Youzhou alone can't do anything big; they are probably just going south to plunder or to encourage those with ulterior motives in the Great Zhou."
Huang Binglian also said: If Your Majesty waits for the army to march north, the time will be wasted and the Liao people will have plundered a lot and fled north to Youzhou. Since the court is not prepared for a northern expedition, there is nothing we can do to deal with them.
I know. Guo Shao responded.
The Liao army could not pose a real threat to Guo Shao's dynasty at this time. It was just a border raid. But Guo Shao still could not be completely rational and indifferent. He still had an intuitive anger in his heart, and his blood was surging, which was difficult to contain.
Maybe in a while, each state and county will report a rough figure of population loss, which is an insignificant loss figure for the entire country. But Guo Shao has personally experienced it from the grassroots and on the battlefield, and understands how much darkness and crime are hidden under these cold numbers. Where did those people go and how did they die
Now Guo Shao thought that he was the emperor and the father of the entire country, so he had a sense of responsibility for no reason. He thought that he had to be responsible for every citizen under his rule. But there were billions of people, how could one person take care of them all
Perhaps this is the tragedy of human beings, with big hearts and big ambitions, but not necessarily stronger than ordinary people. So anger has been bothering Guo Shao, and he can't calm himself down.
One day, I will make all those who provoke the Great Zhou return to me. Guo Shao threw the bow on the imperial desk with a snap. He thought: There is nothing in this world that can restrict me. From now on, I will do whatever it takes to defeat my enemies.
However, we still need to return to rationality, just like when Emperor Gaozu of Han, Liu Bang, was surrounded and fled quickly; Xinkou Town, where Guo Shao rescued Shi Yanchao, was once the place where Liu Bang fled back. Failure to take practical action will only make oneself weaker and more likely to fall into useless anger.
Guo Shao walked into the back room, where there were many maps hanging, and looked for directions on a map.
His emotions had not yet subsided, a fire was running through his body and his mind was a little confused.
His anger was not mainly because he was beaten, but because he was unable to do anything about it; he had just ascended the throne, and it was impossible for him to immediately go to war with the Liao Kingdom, which made him feel powerless and ashamed, as if he was slapped in the face but couldn't slap back because the other person was too tall to reach his face.
The nomadic peoples had long troubled the Central Plains dynasties because of this asymmetric war model, and agricultural countries were forced to consume several times more resources for defense. Moreover, in this era, the efficiency of converting resources and national strength into military power was too low, and many strengths could not be used; even if the separatist regimes that unified the entire world were several times richer than the Liao Kingdom, the Central Plains dynasties might not be able to defeat the Liao Kingdom. Many dynasties used this resource in national defense strategies, which was to send money and women to negotiate peace, thereby maintaining peace for a period of time; this was also a helpless move, because fighting a war cost more.
Guo Shao set his sights on Xiangzhou, Hebei, where Zhang Guanghan's troops from the left wing of the Longjie Army were stationed, with 20,000 elite infantry and cavalry. If troops were transferred northward from Tokyo, they would be too late to fight by the time they reached the border; transferring troops from Xiangzhou would at least force the Liao army to retreat as soon as possible. This was also a necessary response, showing an attitude, otherwise the border would think that the court was doing nothing.
But he couldn't help but look to the left, Luzhou.
The messenger to deliver the imperial edict has been sent out, and it is unknown when he will be able to send back the news.
The Liao army was just bluffing.
In the Hedong Luzhou Prefecture, Li Yun looked around. There were only two people around him, one was his son Li Shoujie, and the other was his aide Zhongli who had helped him with divination with a tortoise shell a while ago. Li Yun was unwilling to expose his inner thoughts in front of others, even some of his confidants, but his son was different from this aide Zhongli. Li Yun believed that he had seen through his thoughts a long time ago, and it was useless to cover it up. Zhongli had been living in seclusion in Taihang Mountain, and Li Yun personally went to invite him back. Although this person seemed to be seeking fame, he was indeed quite wise.
Li Yun sneered and said: Xiao Siwen has a good plan. How can his few men attack the city and seize the stronghold, and even instigate me to cause civil strife
Zhong Li said calmly: Liao people have been learning the official system of the Central Plains for many years, but they have not changed their nature. At first glance, they seem to be quite smart, but they still lack people with great wisdom. They ignore the great way and put themselves in a sea of fire.
Li Yun responded casually: "Winning is the truth. If you can't beat them on the battlefield, what's the point of the truth?"
Zhong Li disagreed and said: The ancient Xiongnu were stronger than the Khitans. Where are the Xiongnu now
Li Yun said: Mr. Zhong is thinking too far ahead. This has nothing to do with us.
Li Shoujie listened for a while with a confused look on his face, then he said: The Tokyo envoy is already waiting in the lobby, father, do you want to see him
You go in first and put your things away. Li Yun said, Mr. Zhong and I went to see the envoy to keep our chastity. What is the name of the envoy
Li Shoujie said: Lu Duoxun. When the Great Zhou and Southern Tang were fighting in Jiangnan, this man volunteered to enter the enemy camp to persuade them to surrender.
Li Yun sneered: By sending such a person here, the people in Tokyo really think this place is a den of dragons and tigers.
Li Shoujie bid farewell and went into the inner room first, where he collected and hid the spirit tablets of Taizu and the late emperor.
Old man Zhongli and Li Yun went to the hall and saw a young civil official standing and pacing in the hall, surrounded by many civil and military officials from Luzhou. Li Yun stepped forward and bowed: "Mr. Lu, I have been waiting for a long time. I just learned that the court has sent an official down, so I hurried out to meet you."
Lu Dosun first bowed in return, then walked straight to the north and stood still. He coughed, raised his head and said seriously: Li Yun, the governor of Zhaoyi Army, received the imperial edict, and seeing the imperial edict was like seeing the emperor of the Great Zhou.
Li Yun was stunned. Since he was in front of the Emperor of the Great Zhou, he had no choice but to kneel on the ground and kowtow to the imperial edict in the hands of the civil servant who was much younger than himself, shouting: "Long live the Emperor!"
Lu Duxun did not read the contents, but just stepped forward and handed over a scroll of imperial edict with both hands. When Li Yun received the things, he noticed that Lu Duxun's face was obviously much more relaxed, as if he had breathed a sigh of relief.
Li Yun also knew that when he knelt in public and called himself "Emperor", he had clearly stated that he recognized the new emperor of Tokyo and would accept the edicts and decrees of the new court. After all, he could not behave like a two-faced and fickle person in front of his subordinates.
Lu Duosun said: Your Majesty has granted Li Gong the title of Jiedushi of Tianping Army, and appointed him to govern Yunzhou. Li Gong, do you have anything to say to me
Li Yun said: I thank Your Majesty for your grace.
Lu Dosun nodded and quickly stretched out his hand to help: "Mr. Li, please get up quickly."
Li Yun invited Lu Duosun to host a banquet that day. Lu Duosun used the excuse of returning to the ceremonial hall to change clothes, and immediately found his followers, wrote a letter, put it in a bamboo tube and sealed it with wax, and then used his official seal to stamp the melted red wax. He instructed: "The post road should change horses, and the people should work day and night, and report to Tokyo immediately."
Lu Dosun's messenger left Luzhou without stopping, crossed the Yellow River that night, and arrived in Tokyo in the early morning.
The city gates were not yet opened, and after he showed his seal, he took a gondola into the city of Tokyo because it was an urgent report. However, the urgent report was still shelved outside the Xuande Gate and could not be delivered to the Privy Council in the imperial city until the next morning.
At this time, the agency that sent and received various reports and memorials was still the Privy Council. The Privy Council in the Tang Dynasty was specifically responsible for this work. Later, its power grew. After the end of the Tang Dynasty, in order to facilitate the emperor to directly control the army, the Privy Council evolved into a government office involving core military and political power.
At daybreak, Xuande Gate was finally opened. The Privy Council outside Xuande Gate immediately delivered the urgent report received last night to the Imperial City.
So when Guo Shao just arrived at the Jinxiang Hall for the morning court, he received Lu Duosun's urgent report from the eunuch. The whole process was very short, benefiting from the military-state centralized system since the Five Dynasties. The power of the center was very concentrated and there were few intermediate procedures. Of course, this system was not conducive to balance. The power of the Privy Council was too great. At that time, Taizu Guo Wei was almost held hostage by the Privy Council.
Guo Shao finished reading the report and then walked up to the throne. The officials below bowed one after another. Guo Shao stood up and turned to the people from the Hanlin Academy next to him and said: Issue an order.
After hearing this, the ministers separated into two sides and did not rush to speak.
Guo Shao said in public: Order Fu Zhaoxu and Fu Yanqing's eldest son to be the commander of the Hebei front camp, and Zhang Guanghan, the commander of the left wing of the Longjie Army, to be the commander of the front camp. He will lead the Xiangzhou troops northward, coordinate the troops of Yi Xiongba and Dingmo towns, expel the Khitan army and strengthen the defense in the north.
Guo Shao heaved a sigh of relief after he finished speaking. The Liao army had not been invading for long, and the court quickly mobilized a large army to the north. This was already a very active response. It was considered an attitude to the various towns and people in Hebei, and barely maintained the prestige of the court.
While he was relaxed, there was a hint of forbearance on his face.
The sun shone in from the windows and doors, and Guo Shao's yellow robe was shining with golden light. The expression on his face was very different from when he was a military commander. His impulse and anger were deeply suppressed in his body, and his 24-year-old face had a more mature look. The position he was in seemed to be able to change many aspects of a person very quickly.