Chapter 61 third quarter

Ma Kuo returned to Beijing twice to report on his work, and both times he took time to go home and meet with his family.The military plan to surprise Yanjing City was once a wonderful idea of ​​him and Liu Kai a year and a half ago.Once it became a fact, unfortunately it ended in failure. When they talked about the course of this battle, they felt very regretful.They not only hated Liu Guangshi's cowardice and incompetence, and Liu Yanqing's abolition of public affairs for selfishness, but also criticized Yang Keshi's wrong measures in the war. But it is impossible to have a long talk.Ma Kuo's official duties are so busy.If the envoys sent by Aguda hadn't been accompanied by him and Zhao Liangsi all day long, they would run around in the streets and alleys of Tokyo, acting like spies.As a result, the two of them didn't get the chance to go home for one night in shifts.Ma Kuo only had time to greet his family members, say hello, and simply exchange a few words.

In late May, when the army returned in triumph, Ma Kuo also came to Tokyo with the Xuanfu Division to enjoy the "glory" that included his sins.During those lively days of celebrating the victory, everything was done away with, and only then did he have a period of time to "rest and bath at home", allowing him to stay for a few days. "Do you know that the letter is safe? The color in the dream is not old." I don't believe the words of peace in the letter, but believe in the haggard and tired husband I saw in my dream. I believe that he is in the "although nine deaths" every day, every moment The mother who is in a dangerous situation where she has not regretted it yet can see her husband all day and every moment, and live with him.But she still can't believe it's real, and still suspects it's just a dream.

She clearly remembered the day at the beginning of March, when he came home unexpectedly for the first time without notice.He went to see Brother Liu Qi first.Mrs. Liu Qi was ecstatically calling her away.In the past year, how many times she had set a reunion date with him in a dream, and then postponed the date indefinitely in the dream, so that she lost the confidence to meet him again.Now that he really came back, they were only separated by an open door and a curtain, and she could clearly hear the voices of him and brother Liu Kai talking about something passionately.She only needs to take another step and cross the threshold, and she can meet him.What worries does she have?Could it be that elder brother Liu Qi is an outsider, and he is embarrassed to meet him in front of him?No, in front of Brother Liu Kai, she never had such worries, nor any other worries, but the happiness came too suddenly, she was not mentally prepared, so she hesitated outside the curtain, and did not go in to be with him for a long time. See.This is the state of mind of a man so accustomed to misfortune that he is less able to believe himself to be happy.This made Mrs. Liu Qi very strange, and finally she pushed her into the door.

There was another unexpected meeting in early April.She began by asking how long he could stay at home.Instead of being happy about this unexpected meeting, she dreaded the parting that would soon come.Of course her fear was well-founded, that time he only stayed at home for more than half an hour and only spoke a few words to her.But he told her that Yenching was about to be recovered, and he could come back to Tokyo soon.She didn't believe this. During that period of time, she regarded all news that could bring her happiness as lies to comfort her.These false comforts had cost her dearly, and now even the words of her most trusted husband could not convince her.

But her husband's words came true. Now it is no longer an instant meeting, but getting together all day, all day long.She was also afraid that this was a dream, that the image of her husband would slip through her fingers again in this sweet dream that woke up too soon and too early.She tightly clenched her husband's hand—from Ma Kuo's side, he was not quite able to adapt to the onslaught of this overwhelming heat wave of love at first.But like all brave and righteous people, they can correctly understand and quickly judge good and sincere feelings and accept them unconditionally.What's more, he had the self-condemnation of apologizing to Ling Lang at the moment of dying on the battlefield.After overcoming the initial unaccustomedness, he completely opened up his emotional world, allowing the mother to break in and grab what she needs freely and heartily.Erniang pinched her finger sockets vigorously with her fingernails, and sometimes asked her husband to pinch her.When she left by chance, she washed, rubbed, and mended the clothes he had changed over and over again, washed and polished his weapons and armor, and rushed to condition the jade dragon, wash and feed it. .Of course, because all of these belong to her husband, he has infinite intimacy with her, and more importantly, he can experience a sense of reality from them, which is used to prove that everything in front of him is a real life and not a dream. .

Now Qiniang is spending the limited days of happiness in her life in a dreamlike mood. I don't know if there is such a kind of truly selfless love that doesn't need to be paid?It is true that Qiniang never asked for anything from her husband.But once the fruit of love falls into her hands, she must enjoy it to the fullest.She even tried to use their love to build a high wall, imprisoning him and herself within the high wall, and isolating the real world, which is full of gongs, drums and firecrackers, outside the high wall.Love is her living room, clothing, food, stove, firewood, and pot in her spiritual life. Love can replace all of these. Apart from it, she no longer needs to reach out to the world beyond the high wall for anything.

Mrs. Liu Kai fully understood her mood. She seemed to push the two of them into the high wall, and she stood at the door of the wall to act as a guard, preventing other people from entering the restricted area. But they had only limited success. The so-called useless official tools are limited to a very short period of time.As an influential figure in the current situation, the court, the Zhengshitang, and the Xuanfu Division still call him from time to time for consultation.The festivities in Tokyo had just begun when disturbing news came from Yanjing. First came the unusual news that Zhang Jue, the former governor of Liaoping Prefecture, raised his troops to fight against the gold.

Zhang Jue supported his troops and was unwilling to surrender to the Jin Dynasty.After Wanyan Aguda's army left Songting Pass, he ordered Zuo Qigong, Yu Zhongwen, Kang Gongbi, etc. to surrender via Pingzhou and Luanzhou, enter Yuguan and return to Shangjing. task.Zhang Jue has 20,000 elite soldiers in his hands, and has always been dissatisfied with Zuo Qigong and other big men.After he received the "roll order" from Zuo Qigong and others who had arrived at Pingzhouqian Station, he was ready to detain them all once they entered the country.Zuo Qigong used himself to judge others, never dreamed that in this turbulent situation, there would be such an ignorant fool who dared to resist the Emperor Dajin.He was unarmed and had to be bound.In front of tens of thousands of soldiers and civilians, Zhang Jue charged Zuo Qigong, Kang Gongbi, Yu Zhongwen, Cao Yiyong and other Liao traitors with ten counts of treason against the Liao Dynasty, disloyalty to the Liao Dynasty, unrighteous conquest of gold, slavery to the tiger, and harm to the people of Yan. , One by one sent to the gallows to be hanged, and then defeated the army of the Jin Dynasty general Jiamu in a surprise assault.

This is a real setback encountered by the Jin people in the war to eliminate the remnant Liao regime. This news was also very important to the Song Dynasty.Due to the similar pronunciation, Ma Kuo initially mistook this Zhang Jue for Zhang Xuan, the doctor of the Ministry of Rites who accompanied him in the museum last year.Zhang Ting, a soft and boneless clerk, was able to make such a career, which surprised him.But this small error did not prevent him from several possibilities of correctly predicting the course of events.A relatively small possibility is that Zhang Jue continued to expand the results of the battle, and the Jin army was temporarily unable to eliminate him, allowing him to exist as a separatist force calling for the restoration of the remnant Liao regime.This situation, if it arises, is short-lived.The Jin army will never allow a hostile force to be left in this key area. After it is deployed a little, it is bound to send a large army to extinguish it.Zhang Jue's army is weak, and once he can't resist, he will either call for reinforcements, or retreat to our side to ask for containment, both of which are very likely.In short, in this case, we have no neutrality at all, and we must consider what attitude we should adopt in advance to avoid temporary panic.

In addition, there was an even more astonishing but unconfirmed news that Aguda had died in the army. Ma Kuo judged that this news was somewhat reliable, because in the final stage of the negotiation, he saw Aguda several times, already weak and exhausted, and seemed to be unable to support him.At that time, Ma Kuo exchanged opinions with Zhao Liangsi, and believed that during the negotiation, the gold side suddenly changed its position from unwillingness to hand over Yanjing to conditional handover. . If Aguda passed away, according to the traditional succession method of Jin Dynasty brothers and sisters, there is no doubt that Wanyan Wu Qimai, who is currently known as "Knowing Banbojilie", will inherit the throne of emperor.But it does not mean that all the contradictions within the Jin Dynasty have been resolved.According to Ma Kuo's observation, the Jurchen chiefs maintained superficial unity and peace under the absolute authority of Aguda, but internal contradictions abounded.Wu Qimai is moody and has limited talents.Once he inherits the throne, he must rely on the second prince, Wuli, to assist him in handling military and state affairs.Wu Li is one of the most talented and prestige figures among the Jurchen nobles. He is used to assist Wu Qimai and is scheduled to be Wu Qimai's successor. This is a pawn that Aguda has already arranged foresight.However, the eldest prince Nian Hanjiu held a heavy army outside for a long time, made many military exploits, and had already cultivated a personal force.He himself was a rebellious and ambitious military leader. After Wu Qimai succeeded to the throne, it was hard to say whether he could bow his head and obey the orders of Wulibu.During the negotiation process, Ma Kuo discovered that Wulibu and the Wushi and Salumu with Nianhan as the background had many conflicts. .For a day when Aguda lived, Nianhan would never dare to make any changes. Once Aguda passed away, the two heroes would not stand side by side.A fire may break out.According to Ma Kuo's analysis and estimation, after Wu Qimai succeeded to the throne, in order to prevent internal divisions, he would immediately launch a war against our dynasty to ease their internal conflicts. This possibility is extremely high.Ma Kuo has always believed that the war between the Song Dynasty and the Jin Dynasty will eventually be waged. If the news of Aguda's death is true, war is likely to break out in a short period of time. Therefore, he has repeatedly suggested that the authorities should make necessary preparations for the battle. First, stop the demobilization of the Western Army. , The camera is equipped with heavy troops on the front lines of Yanshan, Hebei, and Hedong to strengthen national defense.

During those frenzied days of celebration, it was evident that Ma Kuo's ominous inferences and troubling proposals could not have been seriously considered by the authorities.But he has become an expert on Liao and Jin issues.At present, Zhao Liangsi is still staying in Yanjing to handle some unresolved financial matters. Therefore, some situations have occurred in the north. It is natural for the authorities to find him and sell some materials from him to the government. Denotes their profound knowledge in military diplomacy.Sometimes the officials themselves would call Ma Kuo to the Golden Palace to make inquiries. The purpose was that when the ministers reported to him, he would also have a bottom line in his heart, showing that he was a shrewd, capable and hard-working emperor, and he would not be influenced by his ministers. .The performances of both the monarch and the ministers did not conform to their reality. When they performed such equal performances, they both understood where the other party's information came from, and couldn't help but smile in their hearts. For Ma Kuo, this is really "selling the box for the pearl".Knowledge itself is an empty box, and the content of advice is the pearl.It made him very anxious that they bought his knowledge wholesale and did not take his advice seriously. These practical military and diplomatic affairs occupied Ma Kuo's main attention.When he fully enjoys his mother's love, as soon as he is called by the court and the court, he will temporarily escape from the high wall of her love, both mentally and physically, and soar in the sky of practical affairs. Regardless of whether the imperial court accepts his opinion or not, he has already dealt with life and death on border defense affairs.He persevered in asking questions and making suggestions, hoping that someday these stubborn stones would finally get their nod. But the situation is pressing, and the time he is allowed to soar inside is already very limited.

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