Chapter 63 Section VII

After Chang Chao the next day, the emperor summoned Yao Chong alone in the hall. The emperor was surprised to find that Yao Chong, who had always been in good health, suddenly became lame. "What's wrong with Yao Qing's leg? Is it injured?" Yao Chong must not fall ill at this time. "I don't have any illness on my legs." Yao Chong seemed to have aged a lot overnight, and his rosy face had also turned gray. "The minister's illness is in his heart. And there is no cure for this illness, and there is nowhere to sue." Since the emperor met Yao Chong ten years ago, this was the first time he saw Yao Chong look so discouraged.

"What's wrong with Yao Qing?" Yao Chong's shrewdness can be said to be famous all over the world.Back then, he and Zhang Jianzhi launched a coup, seized the imperial power from the Empress Dowager Wu, and put Emperor Zhongzong on the throne.However, when this great hero moved Empress Dowager Wu out of Luoyang Palace, he supported Empress Dowager Wu's luan car and cried loudly in public, expressing his gratitude to Empress Dowager Wu for her kindness.This was when the political situation was chaotic and people's hearts were unstable. Yao Chong might lose his head because of it.But he did just that. For this reason, he was demoted to Shenzhou, who had hoped to join the cabinet again.

Looking back at this incident today, people can only admire Yao Chong's wit and his clear understanding of the current situation, because all the heroes at that time have now been killed during Zhongzong's reign.This also shows one thing, Yao Chong's loyalty to Datang can be trusted, and his judgment on things is also worthy of the emperor's attention. "Your Majesty, in your opinion, what is the most urgent task?" Yao Chong knelt on the warm and comfortable bearskin seat, his right hand seemed to be very nervously caressing his long gray beard, but inadvertently showed a gleam on his wrist. A string of Ganan incense bracelets.

The name of this bracelet is like thunder, the emperor has seen this item since he was very young.It was originally the most beloved object of the Empress Dowager Wu, and the Buddha head is a pearl as big as a longan.Today, when the Wu family has been exterminated, Yao Chong still openly wears the bracelet bestowed on him by the Empress Dowager Wu, which shows that he does not forget his old kindness. "The top priority is Khitan. In the Battle of Lengxing, Datang lost all face. Such a shame cannot be ignored." The emperor was young and martial, and he paid special attention to side affairs.

"Khitan and Xi are just borderlands and deserts, and they are not wide enough to attack. With Xue Na serving as the envoy of Herong and Dawu Jiedu, they will be safe for three years." Yao Chong is full of confidence in military matters. "Then there is the administration of officials. In the reign of Emperor Zhongzong, oblique officials crowded the capital, and non-members, part-timers, and all kinds of idle jobs wereted national money and invited people to take chances. How can you know what loyalty is to these official positions bought with money? To serve the country? It’s just that not long after the Supreme Emperor abolished these things, another decree revived them. Thinking about it, it’s really difficult.” This is a very rare bit of dissatisfaction that the emperor expressed towards the Supreme Emperor.

"Your Majesty, you don't need to worry too much about this matter. Next spring, please ask Song Jing and Wei Zhigu to re-examine these people. There may be some useful talents among them. Others will be released from office and sent back to their hometowns. These people, even if They are dissatisfied, and they won't cause any serious trouble. It's just that if they don't give up, something may happen." Two years ago, Yao Chong and Song Jing rectified the administration of officials, Song Jing was in charge of civil servants, and Yao Chong Chong was in charge of military generals, and he had successfully rectified the Tang Dynasty officials.It's just that the Supreme Emperor listened to the words of the villain at that time, and all previous efforts were wasted with a paper of edict.

"Yao Chong, it's better to speak directly. You and my monarch and ministers have always worked together, so there shouldn't be anything that hinders the exit." The emperor was impatient and didn't want to speculate anymore. "Your Majesty." Yao Chong left his seat suddenly, and solemnly saluted the Emperor. "The veteran doesn't want to ask the emperor to pardon the minister's death penalty, but just wants to ask the emperor to start from the foundation of the Great Tang Dynasty and listen to the veteran's words." The emperor did not speak, he was waiting for Yao Chong's next words.

"This is the time and place where Mr. Zhang said that Mr. Zhang traveled several times." Yao Chong handed the active emperor a piece of thick bamboo paper. "This time, the old minister has become a villain of informers, one is for the public, and the other is for private." Regarding Zhang Shuo's recent contacts with King Song, the emperor was already angry.The emperor knows the situation better than Yao Chong, but the emperor has not figured out how to deal with it yet.As early as when the emperor was still the prince, he began to spread his eyes and ears in the eastern and western capitals, and now he only reports to the emperor personally about the extravagance, frugality, corruption, and corruption of civil servants and generals, as well as the spies of local people's sentiments that have penetrated into all major states and counties across the country.

Seeing that the emperor didn't answer, but just opened a window thoughtfully, Yao Chong said again in his unique loud and contagious voice: "Let's not talk about public affairs for now, the old minister will talk about selfishness first. It has been more than a month since the old minister returned to the court, and he has not done anything. One of the reasons is that the relationship in the political affairs hall is not going well. Naturally, there was less concern about the Tang Dynasty. To straighten out the relationship between the Zhengshitang, even if Zhang said that he had sneaked into the Song Palace many times, the old minister wanted to suggest that the emperor transfer him out of Beijing first, so as to give the young prime minister more Some experience. Zhang said he is a great talent, but the time for him to do something is not now. Because of his unwiseness, now he should be punished."

"Is it enough to just call Zhang Shuo out of the capital?" The emperor's falcon-like eyes suddenly brightened, and what appeared on his face was not only anger, but a pain of being deeply hurt.Finally someone dared to talk to him about King Song, this was his big heart disease. "Since ancient times, the way to control ministers has been to give both kindness and power. The emperor should first ask Zhang Shuo to Yushi Zhongcheng." While speaking, Yao Chong took out his unique bamboo paper bullet from his sleeve, and held it up with both hands. in front of the forehead.

"If you communicate with relatives and nobles, don't have any schemes; if you live luxuriously, you will be suspected of usurping; if you rely on your favor and favor, you will lose the courtesy of a minister." The emperor said angrily: "Look, such a bastard, why do you need to ask? Beheading him in Dongshi tomorrow morning will already take advantage of him." The emperor's fury had a very dangerous element.Yao Chong felt vigilantly that things were deviating from his pre-designed track.However, Yao Chong is not Wei Zheng, he will not openly confront the emperor, that is the most stupid way for his courtiers in his opinion.Therefore, Yao Chong put away his worried expression just now, and put his tone as calmly as possible, saying: "According to common sense, no matter what Zhang Shuo talked with King Song, just based on his behavior, the In any previous dynasty, the crime of family annihilation was unavoidable. But unfortunately, this incident involved King Song." Seeing that the emperor wanted to listen to him, Yao Chong kowtowed again, and said: "Your minister speaks out boldly. The Emperor Taishang and the King of Song are modest and benevolent, which are quite different from Gaozu and Li Jiancheng. If there were no traitors who acted against the heavens, they would not be happy with the emperor." Datang's ambitions have had an impact." "Isn't Zhang's behavior the behavior of a traitor?" The emperor was furious. "Your Majesty is right. Let's not talk about Zhang Shuo for the time being. His behavior is indeed unbearable. However, if Zhang Shuo is killed, it may hurt the self-esteem of the Supreme Emperor and King Song, and it will also be detrimental to the emperor's holy name. " "Whether Zhang said he deserved to die or not, let's talk about it after Yu Shitai asked." The emperor felt that Yao Chong came to inform first, and now he interceded for Zhang, and it was really not refreshing enough. "Besides," the emperor said again, "I went to Zhang and said that there is Liu Youqiu in the political affairs hall. Tang also made great contributions." "The emperor is holy!" "Isn't that exactly what Yao Qing planned?" The emperor's anger seemed to subside a little. "Nothing can escape the eyes of the emperor. This is what I planned, but apart from Liu Xianggong's lack of ability, I haven't found enough reasons." Removing two prime ministers who have made great contributions to the emperor's family at once, the emperor needs to go to the bottom Great determination, especially when he had to give the Supreme Emperor a reasonable explanation.In order to encourage the emperor, Yao Chong took no time to praise the emperor. Yao Chong always believed that serious illnesses would be hard to come by without strong medicine.Datang is currently in trouble at home and abroad, and is seriously ill. Zhang said that this kind of soup doctor can't solve the problem.In this Great Tang Dynasty, only I can be regarded as a strong medicine.Of course, the Zhengshitang is now empty again, and there is still a shortage of two auxiliary medicines.