klisemfg Chapter 254: If you are not called Qingping, you can’t be happy (23)
Chapter 254: If you are not called Qingping, you can’t be happy (23)
Zhao Zhen swallowed the medicine with difficulty, and Lu Changqing helped him lie back on the bed.
Zhao Zhen turned to look at Cao Danshu who was standing beside the bed and said weakly, "The queen is here."
"My lord, are you feeling better today?" Cao Danshu asked with concern.
Zhao Zhen groaned in pain, "It hurts more and more, I feel pain in the joints of my bones, oh, I don't know when I will die."
Cao Danshu's eyes immediately turned red, "Sir, please don't say such things."
"I'm very tired and want to rest for a while. You guys can go outside to discuss the peace talks with Xia State. I have already discussed this matter with Fu Ying, and we will listen to her in everything." After Zhao Zhen finished speaking, he closed his eyes uncomfortably.
Cao Danshu wiped away the tears from the corners of her eyes, turned around and walked out. Lu Changqing followed her around the screen and walked out together.
"When I came in just now, I ran into Mr. Lu, who looked very angry. Was it because of Xia's request for peace?"
Lu Changqing nodded and said, "Yes, he wants the government to agree to the request made by Xia Guo."
"Mr. Lu is also afraid that Liao will take this opportunity to join forces with Xia to march south."
Lu Changqing sneered, "If you don't take money out of his pocket, he will be very generous.
Since the emperor ascended the throne, natural disasters have occurred one after another. Every year, a large amount of money is spent on disaster relief alone. In order to deal with the Xia Kingdom, the court has recruited soldiers, collected grain, and levied taxes in the past two years. The people's lives are already so difficult, do we have to increase their burden?"
Cao Danshu said: "But fighting a war costs more."
"If we give money to Li Yuanhao, will he be honest? Just like the Liao Kingdom, we gave them money every year, and they didn't come to harass our border?" Lu Changqing said in a heavy tone: "My queen, he has evil intentions! If we really give Li Yuanhao money, his appetite will only grow bigger and bigger."
"No matter whether we can reach a peace agreement with Xia Country or not, we must show our tough attitude."
Cao Danshu was very hesitant. She was also worried about the same issue that Lu Yijian was worried about. It should be said that there was no one in the court who was not worried about the cooperation between Liao and Xia countries to take the opportunity to move south. If the decision was wrong and a war really broke out, once they were defeated, they might lose more than they do now.
"Your Majesty, please wait a little longer. If Li Yuanhao really doesn't want to fight anymore, he will definitely send envoys. This is just like negotiating a business deal. There has to be a give and take."
During the peace negotiation between Song and Xia, a major event occurred in the palace: Zhao Zhen's only son died.
The child was in poor health from birth and eventually did not live past the age of two.
After learning the bad news, Zhao Zhen fainted.
This time he closed his eyes and never opened them again. After being unconscious in bed for a day and a night, he eventually died.
Apart from the concubines and princesses in the harem, the saddest people were the ministers in the court.
Lu Yijian cried even more miserably than if his own son had died. He had served three bosses, but only in Zhao Zhen did he find the sense of accomplishment that "who else but me can be the most capable minister of Song?"
The whole country was in mourning, and the price of linen in the capital city increased. Zhao Zhen's funeral was held with great ceremony, and his temple name was quickly chosen, still Renzong.
Cao Danshu sat in the hall and looked at the lush osmanthus tree in the courtyard and breathed a sigh of relief. After Zhao Zhen's death, she felt that the biggest mountain weighing on her spirit had finally disappeared.
"To be virtuous and to accomplish great deeds is called benevolence; to be kind to the people and to all things is called benevolence; to restrain oneself and to return to propriety is called benevolence; to value the virtuous and to love one's relatives is called benevolence... To have a kind heart is called benevolence; to be benevolent and to love all is called benevolence."
Cao Danshu recited the posthumous name law's interpretation of "benevolence" as if reciting a book, and then asked Lu Changqing who was standing beside her: "Fuying, do you think the emperor will be satisfied with his temple name?"
Lu Changqing replied respectfully: "The emperor is magnanimous and kind, and he will certainly be satisfied with the temple name chosen for him by the court officials."
"I think so too." Cao Danshu sighed, holding her temple with her hand, and said with a worried look on her face: "The court officials have all petitioned me to take Zongshi back to the palace. Fuying, what do you think?"
"A country cannot be without a ruler for a day. Besides, you and the general once had a mother-son relationship. It is normal for the ministers to support the general as the new ruler."
Cao Danshu smiled bitterly and shook her head. "Why am I asking you these questions? At this point, even if you don't want to, what does it matter? The emperor doesn't have a man of his own."
"My queen, you are wrong. From now on, the general is the child of you and the emperor. If he wants to sit in the chair in the Chuigong Palace, he must recognize you as his mother. Even if he does not recognize you, the court officials will force him to do so."
A few days later, Lu Changqing met Zhao Zongshi, who was already nine years old, in Kunning Palace.
He was taking Cao Danshu's adopted daughter Gao Taotao to play under the osmanthus tree outside the palace, and was excitedly gesturing to her.
"That's Zongshi." Cao Danshu looked at the two children laughing and playing and said, "No, he should be called Zhao Shu now. The coronation ceremony will be held in seven days."
No matter who ascends the throne now, it cannot be Cao Danshu, so Lu Changqing doesn't care no matter who the new emperor is.
She only cares about Xia Liao's problems.
"Your Majesty, Li Yuanhao sent someone to deliver a letter saying that he will send an envoy to the capital next month to renegotiate the peace talks. What do the ministers in the court say?" Lu Changqing asked.
Cao Danshu retracted her gaze from outside the palace and said, "Mr. Lu, if Xia Guo wants money or things, as long as it's not too excessive, we can choose to agree to it."
Lu Changqing raised his eyebrows and said, "Okay."
Cao Danshu looked at Lu Changqing in confusion, "Didn't you always disagree with this condition?"
Lu Changqing added: "Let Lu Yijian pay for it himself."
Cao Danshu shook her head in amusement, "I was wondering how you could possibly agree to this."
Lu Changqing suddenly said, "My queen, please bring me to the Chuigong Palace for the next court meeting."
Cao Danshu was stunned and asked curiously, "Fu Ying, I've always wanted to ask you a question. You seem to want to go to the court?"
Lu Changqing admitted generously: "Yes, I have always wanted to be like those men and stand upright in the court."
"Why? Isn't it good to be in the Ministry of Internal Affairs? Can't you assist the emperor?"
"Your Majesty, this is different. If I stand in the court, my name Bai Fuying will be left in the future generations. But if I stay in the Shangshu Neisheng in the deep palace, I will be one of the many nameless and unknown ladies. Even the future generations may not know that there is a Shangshu Neisheng in the palace, let alone that there is a group of unknown women here. This is not what I want."
Cao Danshu still didn't understand, "Is it important to leave your name?"
Lu Changqing nodded firmly, "It's very important. Without a name, there is no history."
"History? Do you mean to go down in history? But I don't think you care much about fame."
"It's not fame, it's history, it's the trace of my presence in this world."
Lu Changqing gave Cao Danshu an example: "Your Majesty, if you look at the stories that have been passed down from ancient times to the present, if the central character is a man, nine out of ten times their name will be recorded, but if it is a woman, nine out of ten times her surname is so-and-so. But I clearly have a name, why is only my surname recorded, but not my given name?
Just like the four empresses of Emperor Taizong, apart from their posthumous titles and surnames, who remembers their names nowadays.”
Cao Danshu's heart was suddenly touched by Lu Changqing's last words. She seemed to understand why Lu Changqing was so obsessed with leaving his name behind.
If she died, would she, like Taizong's other queens, have only the two words "Cao" left in history books?
But she was the queen, second only to the emperor and above everyone else. The historians would write down the names of even the smallest male officials. But was it possible that the queen of a country could only be called "Cao"?
But there are so many people with the surname Cao in the world, and who knows who this "Cao" is?
Perhaps, even her name will not be known to people, and she will only become an unknown person in the long river of history.
Thinking of this, she couldn't help feeling sad.
Cao Danshu held a simple coronation ceremony for Zhao Shu, citing the empty treasury and imminent war as an excuse.
It is a fact that the national treasury is empty. As early as the first year of Baoyuan, Su Shunqin had already submitted a memorial saying that the country's expenditures were seriously insufficient. In the past two years, there have been wars and disaster relief, and the national treasury has been empty.
Faced with the short treasury, Lu Yijian suggested imposing taxes.
The landlord class is like this, as long as the people are not starving to death, they can exploit them without any guilt.
Cao Danshu nodded and said that taxes could be levied, but the prerequisite was to re-measure the land.
After hearing this, Lu Yijian almost jumped up and said that measuring the land was a waste of money and time, and so on.
Cao Dan Shudan said: "The problem of redundant personnel was raised by Song Qi as early as the second year of Baoyuan. Due to the war in the northwest, the late emperor has not dealt with it. Now is a good time to arrange some work for these idle officials."
"Your Majesty, please think twice. Measuring the land will take a huge amount of time and manpower. It's not worth it!"
Cao Danshu said without question: "It's okay. What we in the Song Dynasty lack the least is people. As for time, I will give you a year, which should be enough."
Seeing Cao Danshu's tough attitude, Lu Yijian was so angry that he threatened to quit his position as prime minister if Cao Danshu did not withdraw her decision.
As soon as he knelt, a large number of people in the court knelt down one after another.
Cao Danshu behind the curtain was really frightened by him. Lu Changqing, who was standing behind her, whispered something in her ear.
Cao Danshu's eyes widened after hearing this. Lu Changqing nodded at her and gave her a reassuring look.
Cao Danshu suppressed her panic, looked through the curtain at the ministers kneeling in the hall, and said seriously: "What do you mean? Land measurement is a major event that benefits the people of the world. Now you all oppose this policy. Do you want to make enemies with the people of the world? Are you worthy of the official title you wear? Are you worthy of the word "honest" in the mouths of the people?"
With such a huge accusation put upon him, Lu Yijian naturally tried to make excuses, but Cao Danshu simply refused to listen.
"Mr. Lu, the court needs ministers who can speak up for the people. If you feel you can't do that, I'll help you."
Lu Yijian looked up in the direction of Cao Danshu in shock. Is he going to resign from his position as prime minister?
After Cao Danshu finished speaking, words came one after another in the court, asking her to think twice. Even Yan Shu, who usually didn't care about anything, stood up and said a few good words for Lu Yijian.
Cao Danshu was a little worried, so Lu Changqing quietly reminded her, "My queen, be tougher."
"The land measurement is imperative. No matter who it is today, if anyone wants to stop it, just take off your official robe and leave." After Cao Danshu finished speaking, she stood up and took Zhao Shu's hand and left.
Zhao Shu turned his head in panic to look at Lu Yijian, but when he turned around he saw only a purple robe.
With a smile on his face, Lu Changqing kindly reminded: "Official, watch the road and be careful of your steps!"
Zhao Shu turned his head away and lowered it. For some reason, he had been afraid of the female official named Bai since the first time he saw her in the Empress's Palace. Although she always looked at him with a smile, her eyes were always cold.
Lu Yijian was reluctant to take off his robe, and the land measurement was finalized. The next step was to wait for the envoys from the Xia Kingdom to arrive.
Lu Changqing didn't expect that Li Yuanhao attached so much importance to this peace talk, and the envoy who came was actually Wu Hao.
This time, the condition of Xia Kingdom was that the Song court return the cities that Xia Kingdom had lost in the past few months, and also give Xia Kingdom 3 taels of silver, rolls of silk, and kilograms of tea every year. Compared with before, this was taels of silver and rolls of silk less.
When the ministers heard the indignation of the crowd, Lu Changqing's voice was very loud. He asked Wu Hao loudly through the noisy court: "Does Envoy Wu Fan intend to go back to Xia Kingdom sideways?"
Wu Hao looked towards the place where the voice came from, thinking it was Cao Danshu who was speaking, and snorted coldly: "What does the Queen Mother mean? Do you want to kill the envoys from other countries?"
Lu Changqing asked Cao Danshu for instructions, then walked out from behind the curtain and said to Wu Hao in a condescending manner: "Envoy Wu Fan has recognized the wrong person. I am not the Empress Dowager, but just a small female official in the Ministry of Internal Affairs."
Wu Hao looked at Lu Changqing's face and was stunned for a moment. He felt that he looked familiar, as if he had seen him somewhere.
Seeing Wu Hao frowning and looking puzzled, Lu Changqing gave his name, "Envoy Wu Fan should have heard of my name. I am Bai Fuying, and I have had the honor of fighting with your Majesty twice on the battlefield."
Wu Hao's face darkened in an instant. He said why she looked so familiar. He had seen the portrait of this woman in Xia Country.
It was this woman who caused his majesty to lose twice in a row. Not only did he lose the city this time, but many generals died and the soldiers he led were almost wiped out.
Lu Changqing looked at Wu Hao coldly and said, "Let me remind you that it was your country that attacked our border first, and it was your country that was defeated and asked for peace first. So it is natural that your country should be the one to pay compensation and cede territory."
Wu Hao didn't want to talk to Lu Changqing any more. He looked past her and asked Cao Danshu behind the curtain, "Empress Dowager, the peace talks between the two countries are so important, are you sending a woman to take charge?"
"Envoy Wu Fan, watch your words. It's fine if you're disrespectful to me, but how can you be disrespectful to your Majesty? Don't forget, your Majesty was beaten by a woman like me and fled in disgrace. Doesn't this mean that your Majesty is worse than a woman like me?"
Wu Hao flicked his sleeves, snorted heavily, turned his head away and ignored Lu Changqing.
Seeing Wu Hao so arrogant, Lu Changqing lifted his robe and walked down the steps. He walked in front of him and said coldly: "I don't know who gave you the courage to be so presumptuous in front of the Queen Mother and the Emperor!
If you are sincere in negotiating peace, then lower your posture; if you are here to test our attitude, then you are making a wrong calculation.
Don't think I'm just talking. You and Zhang Yuan failed the exams many times and betrayed the country to go to Xia. Now that you can die in my dynasty, it can be considered a return to your hometown. "
Wu Hao did not expect Lu Changqing to be so tough, and angrily said: "You dare to threaten me? If I die here, His Majesty will definitely join forces with the Liao Kingdom to send troops south. When the Song Dynasty is destroyed, you will all be sinners!"