Chapter 1055 Aftermath (4)
Although after he ascended the throne, he personally asked Lu Xun to guard Wuchang and command everything west of Yuzhang County.
But that was when the prince was still in Wuchang.
Now the prince has returned to Jianye for so many years, but Lu Xun is still the above-mentioned general and remains in Wuchang.
Most importantly, in the past few years, Sun Quan found that he and Lu Xun were increasingly at odds with each other.
The tacit understanding of working together to create a great cause in the early years disappeared without knowing where it started.
Perhaps it was after the capital was moved to Jianye?
Over the years, he has been in the Northern Dynasty many times, but Lu Xun, who has always been aware of military strength, has become more and more conservative.
Even when he was asked to lead troops to attack Lu'an County a few years ago, Man Chong was able to force him to escape at night.
Compared with the previous soldiers who were like gods, there is a huge gap.
I have given you half of the country to take charge of, so that you can maximize your ability to know the military strength and open up territory for Wu.
You are good, not only did you not live up to my expectations, but you also wrote letters to give advice from time to time, giving me pointers when I was far away in Jianye.
Are you teaching me how to do something?
Do you feel that you have the power and can teach me how to do things?
Having been the emperor for almost ten years, no matter how generous Sun Quan was, he still felt a little uneasy in his heart, as if there was a thorn in his heart.
He hesitated for a long time, and finally gave up asking the general immediately. Instead, he turned around and shouted:
“Come, please invite the prime minister into the palace.”
After thinking for a moment, he ordered again:
“Call Lu Zhongshu here too.”
When Gu Yong met Lu Yi in the palace, his brows furrowed slightly.
A few years ago, because of Lu Yi's frame-up, Gu Yong was almost dismissed from office and returned to his hometown. The grudge between the two was difficult to resolve.
It's just that Gu Yong was quite self-restrained. With his brows stretched out, he nodded to Lu Yi with a calm expression as a sign of greeting.
On the other hand, Lu Yi's face looked a little unnatural when facing Gu Yong.
Fortunately, after the two arrived, Sun Quan did not keep them waiting for long and announced that they should enter together.
After the ceremony, Sun Quan gave the two of them seats, and then went straight to the point and told the news that the prime minister of Han Dynasty had died of illness.
“I sent an envoy to the Han State to discuss with the Han State the issue of sending troops together to defeat the Wei thieves. However, I did not expect that the Han Prime Minister Zhuge Kongming died of illness.”
Sun Quan sighed a little, "After Liu Xuande died, it was Zhuge Kongming who tried his best to promote the alliance between Wu and Han, so that the two countries agreed to join forces to defeat the bandits."
"Now that the prime minister of the Han Dynasty has died, it is unknown what the future situation of the Han Dynasty will be. Therefore, I have called you and two of you here today just to ask your opinions first."
As soon as Sun Quan finished speaking, Gu Yong frowned and asked:
"Your Majesty sent envoys to discuss with the Han Dynasty about sending troops to defeat the bandits. Have you ever asked the general?"
I remember that just after Zhengdan, His Majesty indeed sent Zhongshu Lang to his residence to inquire about this matter.
But it seems that I didn’t agree?
So Your Majesty went to ask the General, and the General agreed?
Faced with Gu Yong’s question, Sun Quan’s expression froze.
All I can think about is what kind of situation Da Wu will face after Zhuge Liang's death.
He actually let it slip that he had sent an envoy to Han to discuss jointly sending troops.
Sun Quan coughed and said vaguely:
"It's just that Han has won a great victory, so I sent people to celebrate. By the way, I asked when the next time the two countries will send troops together."
How could Gu Yong not be suspicious when he saw the emperor's expression?
“Your Majesty, the matter of the two countries sending troops is of great significance. Wu has been sending troops northward every year in recent years. It has reached a time when the country is exhausted and the people are tired, so we must not be careless.”
Over the years since he moved to the capital, His Majesty has wanted to send troops northward every year, but every time he has been in vain.
As soon as the soldiers and horses moved, money and food were countless.
With so much money and food, wouldn’t most of it be distributed among the families in Jiangdong?
Everyone has spent so much money and food, but has not gained much benefit, so some complaints are understandable.
Besides, now that the world is divided into three parts, Da Wu occupies one of them, which is not too bad.
Wouldn't it be better to wait a few years and let the people recuperate and then talk about the Northern Expedition after they recover?
Although Gu Yong's words were selfish, more importantly, they were just and outspoken, and he was mature in seeking the country.
Since he became the prime minister, he has often gone deep into the people and understood the sufferings of the people.
So he knew very well that Wu State had minted so much money in the past few years, and there had long been complaints among the people.
But when Sun Quan heard his words, it gave the emperor a different taste.
Because Lu Xun’s argument for persuading Sun Quan to postpone the Northern Expedition was precisely because the people were overwhelmed, which coincided with what Gu Yong said.
The four surnames in Wu County are the Gu, Lu, Zhu and Zhang families. The Gu family and Lu Xun, one internally and one externally, one civilly and one military, are all the top ministers of Wu.
The two people are separated by thousands of miles, but they say the same thing to oppose the Northern Expedition. It is really difficult for Sun Quan to think in other directions:
You guys from the Jiangdong surname have probably reached some kind of ulterior agreement in private?
At this thought, Sun Quan's face became a little ugly.
It's just that he has a big beard, covering most of his face.
In addition, the person sitting was the main seat. Gu Yong was sitting at the bottom and could not see clearly from a distance, so he did not notice it.
Thinking of the prime minister of Han Dynasty, he not only did not stop the Northern Expedition, but also personally led the Northern Expedition, and even died of illness during the Northern Expedition.
Emperor Sun felt even more uncomfortable.
Thinking this in his heart, Sun Quan acted like he was being taught:
"What the prime minister said is true. I will think carefully about sending troops. Regarding the death of the prime minister of Han, what do you think will happen between Wu and Han?"
Gu Yong stroked his beard and said thoughtfully:
“When it comes to assisting His Majesty in governing the country, the veteran knows everything he can say, but when it comes to the diplomatic relations between Wu and Han, no one can be better than a great general.”
"Instead of listening to the foolish opinions of the old minister, your Majesty, why not send someone to Wuchang to consult the general and see what the general thinks?"
When Sun Quan heard this, his face stiffened again.
"The Prime Minister himself said that he is assisting me in running the affairs of the country. The matter of diplomatic relations between the two countries can also be regarded as the affairs of the state. Does the Prime Minister really have no idea?"
Gu Yong heard that Emperor Sun even said "I", and knew that His Majesty must give an explanation himself today.
At the moment I had no choice but to say:
“Your Majesty has something to ask, how dare I not say anything?”
“Prime Minister, please speak.”
"An old minister once heard that after the death of Liu Xuande, people in Shu were in panic. The prime minister of Han Dynasty went to Zhuangzi outside Jincheng and met a young man."
“The young man proposed to the Prime Minister of Han that he should resist the Wei rebels in the north, conquer Wu in the east, and pacify the barbarians in the south. At that time, many people were puzzled.”
“This is how the alliance between Han and Wu came to be, where they respected each other’s imperial titles and jointly vowed to defeat thieves.”
Hearing this, Sun Quan suddenly woke up:
“Could it be that Feng Mingwen is what the Prime Minister said?”
“Exactly.”
Sun Quan sighed: "Feng Mingwen is indeed promising at a young age. He is well-equipped in both civil and military affairs. He is a rare hero in the world."
Thinking of this man’s outstanding literary talent and his more famous martial arts, Sun Quan had to admit:
The tiger girl of the Guan family did not marry the prince, but she was willing to marry Feng Mingwen, who was only slightly famous at the time. She was indeed unique.
Gu Yong didn’t know what Sun Quan was thinking, so he continued speaking to himself:
"I heard that Feng Mingwen had a close personal relationship with the emperor of the Han Dynasty. Looking at the Han Dynasty, there is no one more likely to succeed the Han Dynasty's prime minister in the future than this person."
“Your Majesty would like to know how the Han monarchs and ministers view the relationship between Wu and Han after the prime minister of the Han Dynasty passes away. I suggest that, first, send an envoy to the Han Kingdom immediately to express condolences.”
“We can take this opportunity to test the attitude of the Emperor of the Han Dynasty. The second is to send someone to make friends with Feng Mingwen and use his hand to persuade the Emperor of the Han Dynasty to continue to have good relations with Wu.”
"Hmm..." Sun Quan subconsciously stroked his beard, "I heard that Feng Mingwen is leading the army to be stationed in Guanzhong, how can I send someone there?"
The fact that Feng Mingwen and Liu Chan had a good personal relationship was known to everyone in Shu.
I heard that it was Feng Mingwen who initially relied on royal connections to promote the Han Dynasty, which allowed it to develop rapidly.
Thinking of this man who was talented in literature, military, and making money. He was also loyal to the Liu family. Even when making money, he never forgot about the royal family.
Looking back at the eating habits of the major families in Jiangdong, Emperor Sun felt a sense of embarrassment in his heart.
Why are good ministers always from other people’s families?
“Your Majesty, in the Han Dynasty, the one who is good at fighting is none other than Feng Mingwen, and the one who is good at riding and fighting is none other than Feng Mingwen.”
“Wu and Han have an agreement. Wu will teach Han the art of sailing, and Han will teach Wu the art of cavalry. Now Han has sent people to learn how to sail for a year.”
“However, Da Wu has not yet sent anyone to Han to learn the art of cavalry warfare. Now that the Three Kingdoms have suspended their armies, it is the right time for Da Wu to mention this matter to Han again.”
Hearing what Gu Yong said, Sun Quan immediately slapped his thigh:
"That's right! Wu has repeatedly suffered losses at the hands of Wei thieves. Isn't it because there are no elite cavalry that can compare with Wei thieves?"
Feng Mingwen led the cavalry army to defeat the Wei thieves many times, which shows that he has mastered the skill of cavalry warfare.
Sent people to the Han Kingdom to learn from him how to defeat the elite cavalry of the Wei thieves.
“This general is just learning the art of cavalry warfare. Who should he send there?”
“Feng Ming is well-equipped with both civil and military skills. It is impossible to just send military men to go there. Your Majesty can select those with both civil and military skills from among the generals to go, so as to prevent the Han people from despising our great Wu.”
Sun Quan nodded and agreed: "This is a very good statement."
I think of the generals in the army who are often rash, especially the generals on the riverside. They often write letters stating that they want to have some cover to attack the northern border.
Most of them are just small fights. Even if they succeed, they are not enough to damage the enemy's power. In fact, they are just seeking fame for themselves, not for the country.
Sun Quan sighed: "If Lu Ziming (Lü Meng) was still here, I would not be in trouble."
As soon as these words came out, Gu Yong was shocked and turned pale.
Your Majesty, even if Lu Ziming is still here, if you let him go to the Han Kingdom, you are probably not asking him to learn how to ride and fight, but are you deliberately asking him to die?
Don’t you know who Feng Mingwen married?
Sun Quan said helplessly: "In the army today, except for the generals, who can be both civil and military?"
Gu Yong wanted to ask the general about this, but after thinking about it, he finally endured it and said nothing.
Your Majesty is asking about your own state affairs. If you always talk about being a general, it will appear that you, the prime minister, are too incompetent.
Although it is indeed safer to ask the general about this question.
Sun Quan waited for a long time but did not get an answer from Gu Yong.
Because Gu Yong was not prepared to give Sun Quan an answer. This kind of thing was not his specialty.
And even if he answers, it may not be a good answer in His Majesty’s mind.
It’s just that Sun Quan seemed to have **** with Gu Yongmao today:
“Do you have any candidates for Prime Minister?”
Seeing His Majesty's gaze, Gu Yong had no choice but to think carefully, and then tentatively replied:
“Your Majesty once said that General Zuo is capable of both civil and military skills and can succeed Lu Ziming. How about letting General Zuo go?”
The so-called General Zuo is Sun Quan’s son-in-law Zhu Ju.
Zhu Ju was born in the Zhu family, one of the four surnames in Wu County. He was dignified in appearance, strong in physique, and good at debating and questioning.
After Sun Quan became emperor, he married his youngest daughter Sun Luyu to him, and at the same time used this to win over the Zhu family.
Only eight years ago, Cao Rui sent Xizuo Yinfan to Jianye. Zhu Ju and Tingwei Hao Pu were the best friends with him, and even openly said that he had the talents of Wang Zuo.
In the ninth year of Jianxing, in order to prevent Wu and Han from jointly sending troops, Yinfan openly rebelled in Jianye when the Wuxi barbarians were in rebellion.
Although this rebellion failed and Yinfan was executed, it caused a huge shock in the Wu court and many people were implicated.
Tingwei Haopu committed suicide in prison.
Zuo General Zhu Ju, who had always been favored by Sun Quan and regarded as the royal son-in-law, was also dismissed from his official position and confined at home.
It was not until the year before last that he was reinstated.
It's just that the official was restored to his post, but there was no suitable position in the army for the time being.
Hong the title of General Zuo, he was idle for two years.
At any rate, the four surnames in Wu County are now the same, and Zhu Zifan (Zhu Ju) is your Majesty's son-in-law, and he has won your Majesty's trust.
Coupled with his good talents, he should be considered a suitable candidate.
Sure enough, when Sun Quan heard Gu Yong mention Zhu Zhi, a rare smile finally appeared on his face:
“Prime Minister, if you don’t tell me, I have forgotten Zifan.”
As he spoke, he nodded:
“Yes, Zifan is a rare person after Lu Ziming who has both civil and military skills. Then among the people sent to the Han Kingdom, let him be the leader and select some with outstanding talents to go.”
“Your Majesty is wise.”
After Sun Quan made his decision, he turned to Lu Yi:
“The school affairs office has sent people to Han Dynasty several times. We are most familiar with Han Dynasty. You must pay attention to these two things.”
“Especially with Feng Mingwen, the school administration can also take the opportunity to contact him more to see if we can exchange more things for him.”
There is never too much money.
“Of course, it would be best if we could get more war horses.”
Lv Yi responded quickly: "I will obey your Majesty's will."
Gu Yong couldn't help but feel worried when he saw that His Majesty had to hand over even such important national affairs to the school affairs office and let the school affairs office get involved.
I just remembered that whether the prince, the general, or the important ministers in the court, they all wrote to your majesty many times, frankly speaking about the shortcomings of the school affairs office, but your majesty never listened.
Him himself was even framed by the school affairs office and almost lost his official position.
Gu Yong's worries finally turned into an invisible sigh.
(End of this chapter)