In the Jinxiang Hall, Wang Pu and Wei Renpu knelt on the ground and kowtowed, saying: Please forgive me, Your Majesty.
The Northern Han Kingdom has sent envoys to Tokyo, accusing the Great Zhou of sending people to Jinyang City to do spy work secretly, which is disgraceful. Although the two countries are enemies, their verbal exchanges are also a bit sophisticated. For example, the Northern Han has always regarded itself as the orthodox of the Central Plains and accused the Guo family of the Great Zhou of usurping the throne.
Then the chief of the spies sent to the Northern Han also fled back to the capital. Because the captured spies were tortured and exposed the whereabouts of many people, the entire Northern Han spy team could no longer stay in Jinyang.
Obviously, this was a failed operation. Guo Shao had a lot of things to do at the time, so he did not plan it himself. He trusted Wang Pu's ability and handed the matter over to the Privy Council. However, the people in the Privy Council only knew how to be scouts, not spies, and did a very crude job. Therefore, the Privy Councilor and his deputy came to apologize.
Guo Shao glanced at Wang Pu who was kneeling on the ground. Although he was dissatisfied, he would not let one thing shake his relationship with this minister. He immediately stepped forward and helped him up, saying: You all get up.
Wang Pu and others stood up. Wang Pu frowned, a little annoyed: The spy leader is still very capable, so I feel relieved to hand over the matter to him. Unexpectedly, he used the wrong people. It was also my fault for being careless. I was in a hurry and did not carefully select those people.
Even the wisest man can make mistakes. Guo Shao did not lose his temper, because there were no outsiders here. He still remembered Wang Pu's many contributions before he ascended the throne, and Wang Pu and others had a good attitude of admitting their mistakes.
Guo Shao stood up, paced a few steps, and turned to look at Jing Niang who was standing beside him without saying a word. She was wearing a purple round-necked robe and a futou on her head, standing there in a relaxed and generous manner.
He had just ascended the throne a while ago and there were many things to do. His attention was scattered and he had no intention to personally think about the details of everything. He realized again that it was not so easy to create something new from scratch. Even a smart person like Wang Pu could not do it well; perhaps the reason was that people had no experience. From ancient times to the present, there have been assassins and spies, but the systematic and organized spy team like Guo Shao's wish has never appeared.
As Wang Pu said, if he thinks someone is capable, he will send that person; the success or failure of a matter depends on the ability of an individual, rather than the rigor and cooperation of an organization, and problems are likely to arise once the business is carried out.
However, Jingniang had been with Guo Shao before and understood his intentions. She had done a good job since the Qin-Feng War and the Tokyo Mutiny. Guo Shao stopped worrying about it and said, "I want Jingniang to temporarily supervise the Bingcao Division as a eunuch."
Wang Pu and the others didn't say anything because they had just messed up. Jing Niang clasped her fists and said, "Yes, sir."
Guo Shao added: "People for the Military Department can be selected from the officials and detectives who solve cases. We need to train people who specialize in this field. Don't just temporarily get some warriors from the army to do it. They can't do delicate work."
Everyone bowed and replied: Yes.
Guo Shaodao: Jingniang knows how to arrange it. When sending an organization outside the country, we must pay attention to the method of communication. This time, we didn't manage it well. If one person was arrested, a large group of people would be ruined. If you walk by the river, you will get your shoes wet. It is not a long-term solution to destroy an organization so easily.
After a little thought, he realized that the spy who was eager to assassinate Zhao Kuangyin must be after the reward, so he gave an additional reminder and issued an order that from now on, anyone related to the Bingcao Division who disobeyed orders would not be rewarded.
Wang Pu asked again: "Your Majesty, what is your attitude in responding to the envoys from Northern Han?"
Guo Shao hesitated for a moment: What do you two ministers think we should do in response
Wei Renpu said calmly: Northern Han is a small country, yet it dares to accuse my court officials of making suggestions. It turns around and blames the ruler of Northern Han for harboring and sheltering the traitors of our dynasty. What can I say? We can openly state the crimes of the Zhao thief and force Northern Han to hand over this man.
After hearing this idea, Guo Shao was greatly benefited, because this attitude could save his face.
Wang Pu looked a little depressed at this time. He was indeed in power when the spy was in charge before, so he said nothing. Wei Renpu, however, said: Our dynasty is strong and powerful with a vast territory. In today's world, whoever is stronger in force is right. There is no need to argue with the Northern Han Kingdom. The Liao Kingdom may not be able to protect the Northern Han Kingdom now. The Northern Han Lord is also worried. Your Majesty, please look at the place where Jinyang is.
There were many pictures hanging in Guo Shao's study. When he turned around, he saw a picture. Wei Renpu said: The key points of the Northern Han Kingdom are Jinyang and Taiyuan. The land in the northern Xindai states is even more barren and sparsely populated. But Jinyang is close to the south, only a hundred miles away from the border of the Great Zhou. The Great Zhou will march north from Liaozhou and reach Jinyang soon. On the other hand, the reinforcements of the Liao Kingdom have to travel more than a thousand miles from the grassland to Yunzhou, then to Xindai, and then to Jinyang. The Liao army cannot use a large army to reinforce the Northern Han Kingdom for a long time.
Guo Shao nodded repeatedly after listening to this. He also believed that the Liao Kingdom would not send too many reinforcements to fight against Northern Han. It was not because Northern Han was not important, but because the cost to Liao was too high. They could not sustain a long-term battle in Northern Han and it would be difficult to solve the problem of supplies.
Wei Renpu said: At this time, the imperial court used force to intimidate Northern Han, forcing them to send people to negotiate and use the Zhao thieves as a bargaining chip for peace.
Guo Shao asked casually: If the Northern Han Kingdom surrenders and sends Zhao Kuangyin to Tokyo, what will happen to the conquest of the Northern Han
Wei Renpu said seriously: Find another reason to start a war
Guo Shao felt that this was a bit strange, as if two people were arguing and one of them just started fighting after losing the argument. However, it seemed that the Great Zhou always did this. They attacked Shu and Southern Tang several times, and it was not because they did not provoke them. They always had an excuse when they wanted to fight.
Guo Shao nodded immediately and said: This is a very appropriate approach.
He then added: Send someone to arrange a summons for the Northern Han envoy tomorrow. I want to see the people of the Northern Han with my own eyes.
After finishing his work for the day, Guo Shao returned to Xu'en Palace. It was Yang Yue'e's turn to sleep with him today. But he was not in a good mood at the moment. He had no interest in anything, not even the blacksmith work in the yard.
Before the sun went down, Guo Shao stayed in the house to rest. For a moment, he suddenly felt very irritated in the palace. It seemed that he did not do anything every day, but he felt that he was not relaxed for a moment.
Guo Shao felt very depressed and oppressed in this place. There was a low wall around the Xu'en Palace, an inner palace wall outside, and a high wall outside. He felt as if he was imprisoned in countless palace buildings and palace walls, like a prisoner.
However, Guo Shao was not willing to leave the palace to relax for the time being, mainly because the situation with the Northern Han Kingdom was becoming increasingly tense and he was a little worried about his safety.
After sitting there for a while, Guo Shao remembered that Qingxu was in the Sanqing Temple. He had not paid attention to this little Taoist priest for several months. The ancient cauldron, green smoke, and quiet atmosphere emerged in his mind. He wanted to purify his mind for a while.
Since everything was fine, Guo Shao immediately issued an order and prepared to drive to the Sanqing Temple.
When they arrived at Sanqing Hall, Guo Shao was informed that the hall master, Qingxu, was sleeping and could not get up. Li Shanggong, who was standing by, said: Your Majesty, I will go and wake her up to see the emperor.
Guo Shao immediately said: Don't make things difficult for her, I'll just sit here.
He sat down on a cushion in front of a statue of an unknown god. Everyone hurriedly retreated outside the palace, not daring to disturb the emperor's leisure. Guo Shao thought to himself that the only person who could sleep when the emperor came was probably the little Taoist nun; the most relaxed and open-minded person in the world was probably her.
At this moment, a woman in a gray Taoist robe slowly walked over, knelt beside him and said: "I am here to pay my respects to Your Majesty. The Empress Dowager heard that Your Majesty was visiting the Sanqing Palace, so she asked me to greet you on her behalf."
Grand Concubine Guo Shao pondered and suddenly couldn't remember who it was.
The female Taoist priest said: The Empress Dowager Tai was the imperial concubine during the reign of Emperor Taizu, and lived in Wanfu Palace. The Empress Dowager was pure in mind and a devout believer in Taoism. Empress Duanci allowed her to practice asceticism in the Sanqing Hall, and her Taoist name was Xuanzhen Immortal Master.
Guo Shao then remembered that Consort Zhang was Cao Bin's aunt, and he vaguely remembered that he had received a letter from Zhang, which stated that Zhang wanted to go to Sanqing Temple to practice Taoism. At that time, he did not want to interfere in the harem, so he asked the eunuch to send it to Fu Jinzhan for processing.
Now it sounded like Fu Jinzhan had agreed to Zhang's request. Guo Shao had a hunch for a moment: Zhang was quite clever. If she wanted to leave Wanfu Palace, she would become Fu Jinzhan's elder; but if she became a nun and practiced in Sanqing Palace, it would be different. However, Guo Shao did not take this hunch seriously. He felt that he had been overusing his brain recently and had too many thoughts.
Guo Shao had never seen Taizu's concubines, so he instinctively imagined an old lady with a kind face. Although he had never seen Zhang, he did not have a bad impression of her. First, because she was Cao Bin's aunt, Guo Shao had a good impression of Cao Bin. He liked this kind of general who had a kind heart, could discipline his subordinates, and had military talent. Second, Zhang was Taizu's concubine. Guo Shao did not have a bad impression of Taizu Guo Wei, the great Zhou Dynasty's Taizu. He felt that she was a hero worthy of respect, and he also inherited Taizu's kingdom, so he was somewhat grateful in his heart. If Guo Shao had a prejudice against Taizu, he would not have recognized himself as Taizu's nephew without any pressure.
Moreover, although Zhang was his elder, she was, after all, a woman who had lived in seclusion in the cold palace for many years, so Guo Shao did not feel any threat from her.
A kind-looking old lady who is respectable and who understands the great way of tranquility and inaction. Suddenly Guo Shao wanted to meet her. Perhaps it would be a good thing to listen to such a person talk about Taoism after a restless life.
Guo Shao felt that the statue and the hall in front of him were quite boring, so he stood up and said: Please introduce me to the Grand Concubine. I want to meet her.
The female Taoist priest bowed and said: Your Majesty, please wait a moment. I will inform the Empress Dowager and ask her.
Guo Shaodao: She is the elder, so she should be informed first.