Guide to traveling through the Northern Song Dynasty

Two-year-old Li Tianzuo was lying on the king's throne, curiously watching the quarrels among the ministers.

A chair was placed next to it, which was the seat of the regent Zhu Kang.

Su Xiancheng, the Grand Tutor of Annan, has been reinstated and is now opposing Zhu Kang's administration:

"His Royal Highness Prince Yu is the Prince of the Ming Dynasty, and Annan is a vassal state of the Ming Dynasty. In terms of the title system of the Ming Dynasty, the rank of King Annan is lower than that of the Prince of the Ming Dynasty. In fact, he is one level lower than the Prince of the Ming Dynasty. The actual title is equivalent to the county prince of the Ming Dynasty..."

"His Royal Highness the Prince of Yu, as the Prince of the Ming Dynasty, stayed in Annan as the regent, which is equivalent to self-demotion. If he does not surrender and holds the title of both kings, how can Annan's civil and military officials adapt to it? When the ministers see His Highness the King of Yu , Should we greet him as the Prince of Ming Dynasty, or as the Regent of Annan?"

"When King Yu was regent, was his title higher than that of King Annan, or lower than King Annan? If it was higher, how could King Annan deal with himself? If it was lower, wouldn't it mean that he had downgraded the national status of the Ming Dynasty?"

"This matter is inconsistent with etiquette. I think His Royal Highness the King of Yu should not stay in Annan as regent!"

The speech ended and was translated into Chinese by Chen Kai.

Annan's civil and military officials all thought it was reasonable, but they did not dare to agree with this statement in person.

Li Yangzhen, the Zhiming King of Annan, came out: "The little king also feels that His Royal Highness the Prince of Yu should not stay in Annan. How can the majestic Prince of Ming Dynasty be the regent of a vassal country? His title has been reduced to two ranks out of thin air."

Li Yangzhen expressed his opinion, and civil officials immediately followed up.

A censor named Guo Ying came out and said: "I believe that what King Zhiming and Taifu Su said is absolutely true."

After Zhu Kang heard the translation, he glanced at the ministers and asked, "Is there anyone else who objects?"

No one spoke.

More than ten truly upright ministers have been killed by Du Yingwu. Those who are still alive today can even endure a coup d'état, but why can't they tolerate a Ming prince?

Zhu Kang looked at Xie Hong: "Mr. Xie, please tell me."

Xie Hong did not reason with Su Xiancheng, but asked: "Taifu Su, who gave you the title of Taifu?"

Su Xiancheng answered bravely: "The traitor Du Yingwu."

Xie Hong asked again: "Why did he promote you to Taifu?"

Su Xiancheng explained: "Du thieves usurped power and promoted many people in order to win over ministers. I am not the only one."

Xie Hong asked: "Grand Master, Grand Tutor, and Grand Protector are official positions with real power in Annan. There is currently no Grand Master, and Taifu Su is the head of the civil service. Why did Du Ze let you be the head of the civil service? Did you collude with him?" "

"It has absolutely nothing to do with it!" Su Xiancheng quickly defended.

Xie Hong asked again: "The loyal ministers of Annan held a secret meeting to eliminate the thieves. I heard that you were also present at that time. Why were all the loyal ministers who participated in the secret meeting killed by the Du thieves, and only Taifu Su survived?"

Su Xiancheng said: "I am the emperor's master and the head of the civil service. The Du thieves dare not harm me rashly."

Xie Hong sneered: "Thief Du has killed even his consort, so why is he still afraid of killing you, a civil servant?"

Su Xiancheng said: "Although I am not dead, I am under house arrest at home."

Xie Hong said: "I'm afraid that being under house arrest is also an act of concealment, to cover up your betrayal of the loyal minister!"

"Spite!" Su Xiancheng was furious.

Xie Hong asked: "The loyal ministers conspired to get rid of the thieves, but why did Du know it and sent troops to kill all the loyal ministers? You are the only one who participated in the secret meeting and survived. If not you, who else could have snitched? You traitor, On the surface, he is righteous, but secretly he betrays his friends for glory!"

As soon as this statement came out, all civil and military officials looked at Su Xiancheng, and many people began to doubt him.

Su Xiancheng was speechless and could only scream: "Conscience of heaven and earth, I will never betray anyone!"

Zhu Kang said: "Draw him down for interrogation to see if this person is a traitor to the rest of the party."

"It's unfair, I didn't betray them..." Su Xiancheng was dragged away by two soldiers of the Ming Dynasty. When he arrived at the entrance of the palace, he was still shouting, "This is a frame-up, a frame-up..."

Xie Hong looked at Li Yangzhen again: "You are the prince of Annan and the cousin of the late King Annan. The king was murdered, why didn't you avenge your master? Why didn't you avenge your brother? Even the Ming Dynasty soldiers were ordered by Empress Dowager Du , came to Annan to support justice, but you are hiding at home and unwilling to cooperate? "

Li Yangzhen knelt down with a pop and kowtowed madly towards Zhu Kang: "Little Wang is wrong! The Du thief is so powerful that Little Wang does not dare to act rashly, and plans to lie dormant and wait for him."

Xie Hong said: "Now the young master of Annan is suspicious of the country, and you, the prince, are so cowardly. If His Royal Highness Prince Yu does not stay in Annan as regent, I am afraid that Annan will be occupied and invaded by Shenglong Mansion sooner or later!"

Li Yangzhen immediately understood what he meant, and kowtowed in tears and said: "Please, His Royal Highness the King of Yu, please stay in Annan. If His Highness the King of Yu is not here, Annan may overturn the country and the people will be displaced. Annan can be lived without anyone, and it must not be lived without." His Royal Highness Prince Yu..."

This guy was full of runny nose and tears, trying hard to retain Zhu Kang as regent, and all the ministers looked at him with contempt.

Zhu Kang nodded in approval: "You are indeed King Zhiming. Your title is very appropriate. You are indeed very wise. You know how to govern the country better than many people."

Li Yangzhen kowtowed repeatedly: "His Royal Highness the King of Yu is ridiculous. The little king is not good at governing the country. Everything in Annan depends on His Highness."

Censor Guo Ying scolded angrily: "You are such a repetitive villain, how cowardly and spineless you are?"

Li Yangzhen was so angry at being scolded that she pointed at Guo Ying and said, "Your Highness, this person is also a remnant of Du's thieves. He should be put in prison for interrogation!"

Guo Ying sneered: "Who doesn't know that I have always been against Du's thieves? It's extremely funny to say that I am a remnant of Du's thieves!"

Li Yangzhen asked: "Since you are against the Du thieves, why didn't you participate in the conspiracy to eliminate the thieves? Even Su Xiancheng went to the secret meeting, why were you not present at the time?"

"They sent someone to notify me, but I was sick at home that day." Guo Ying defended.

Li Yangzhen sarcastically said: "I'm afraid you are not lying at home, but you are secretly informing the traitor Du? You usually oppose the traitor Du, so you are probably acting. Otherwise, you have impeached him many times, why doesn't the traitor Du remove you from office?"

Guo Ying said angrily: "I, the Guo family, have always had a clean family tradition, how can I tolerate you throwing such dirty water?"

Li Yangzhen looked at Zhu Kang: "Your Highness, this person must be a remnant of Du's thieves."

Zhu Kang nodded and said, "Then we will be taken to the prison for interrogation."

After the soldiers dragged away the roaring Guo Ying, Zhu Kang looked at the ministers again: "There is a saying in the Ming Dynasty that strong melons are not sweet. If you don't want me to stay, then I will lead the troops and leave another day. Annan.”

General Longkan knelt down and kowtowed: "Your Highness cannot leave. The traitor Shen Li pretended to be a clan member and has captured Taiyuan Mansion. He has elite soldiers borrowed from Dali and many barbarians from the northwest to help, and he is still in Taiyuan Mansion. Recruiting troops and buying horses. Now that Annan's army is distracted, if His Highness leaves, who will kill the Shen thief?"

The civil servants then remembered that there was still a traitor who had not been eliminated, and they really could not let the Ming army leave immediately.

Thinking of the fate of Su Xiancheng and Guo Ying, Annan officials knelt down one after another: "I ask His Highness Prince Yu to be the regent!"

Xie Hongzuo bowed and said: "Your Highness, it is difficult for everyone to agree, please condescend to stay."

Zhu Kang sighed tangledly: "But what Su Xiancheng said makes sense. Gu is the prince of the Ming Dynasty, and his title is higher than King Annan. If Gu stays here, I'm afraid there will be discord with etiquette."

Eunuch Du Yi was also able to participate in the court meeting. He said according to the script: "His Royal Highness can accept the marriage of Queen Mother Li, and thus become the father of the king. It is just and legitimate for him to regent as the father of the king."

Although this eunuch values ​​friendship, he is not a fool.

He was afraid that if Zhu Kang left Annan, Queen Mother Li would have to settle old scores with him sooner or later because of her defection. Zhu Kang must be left behind so that someone can suppress Empress Dowager Li.

Therefore, when Xie Hong approached Du Yi and asked him to cooperate at the court meeting, Du Yi agreed without much thought.

Although the ministers thought it was outrageous, they still shouted in unison: "Please, Your Highness King Yu, please stay and be the regent for Prince Annan!"

As for Zhu Guoxiang marrying Empress Dowager Du, Zhu Kang married Empress Dowager Du's daughter-in-law. No one dared to raise this unethical seniority issue.

Zhu Kang said with emotion: "You have kindly asked me to stay. For the sake of the people of Annan, I can only temporarily regent for a few years."

Suddenly, Zhu Kang wondered again: "I brought many officials and soldiers here, and they are all Gu's subordinate officers and guards. Since Gu is left behind, how will they get along with themselves?"

Annan, both civil and military, stopped talking.

They were forced to retain Zhu Kang as regent, but they did not want the entourage Zhu Kang brought to be transferred to official positions.

Zhu Kang looked at Xie Hong.

Xie Hong shook his head slightly.

Zhu Kang said: "Retreat!"

Half a month later, Shenli led the rebels down the river, successively attacking the state capitals along the way, and approaching Tiande City.

Tiandefu City is only across the river from the place where Zhu Kang and Du Yingwu fought.

It is less than a hundred miles away from the capital Thang Long!

In history, Du Yingwu sent troops to conquer for the first time and was severely defeated by Shen Li's rebels. In the second expedition, Du Yingwu personally led the army and defeated Shenli and forced him to flee. Finally, he fled to the Southern Song Dynasty and was captured by Yongzhou officials.

At Xie Hong's suggestion, Zhu Kang deliberately did not dispatch Ming soldiers and sent King Annan Zhiming to lead the army to fight against the thieves.

King Zhiming Li Yangzhen didn't even dare to object to Du Yingwu. What results could such a coward lead his troops?

The two armies fought a decisive battle outside Tiandefu City. Li Yangzhen was defeated and fled. He crossed the river with only a few thousand remaining soldiers and defended Beijiang Road City without daring to go out again.

Shenli took advantage of the situation and captured Tiandefu City, upgraded himself from calling himself "Pingwang" to "Pinghuang", and actually ascended the throne and proclaimed himself emperor directly in Tiandefu City.

Annan officials were horrified.

Tiande Mansion is one of the richest places in Annan. The farmland there is so fertile that even the clan has fiefdom there.

Officials kept asking Zhu Kang to send troops, but Zhu Kang said that Ming soldiers did not have Annan status and it was really inconvenient to send them out to fight.

After more than ten days of repeated push and pull, the Annan nobles and officials finally gave in and agreed to let the civil and military officials brought by Zhu Kang serve as officials in Annan.

Zhu Kang then announced the restructuring:

"The Annan system is neither fish nor fowl. There are three princes with real power in charge of government, and there are six ministries, but there is no Zhongshumen in the province. The Han is not Han, the Tang is not Tang, and the Song is not Song. If it is spread to the Ming Dynasty, it will only be laughed at."

"From now on, the three ministers will be replaced by the Ming Dynasty's cabinet system. Xie Hong will be the prime minister...Han Jing will be the privy envoy and minister of the Ministry of War..."

"Since it is a vassal state of the Ming Dynasty, Annan can no longer be called Dai Viet, and the King of Annam can no longer be called the Emperor of Dai Viet. Historical materials on daily life in the palace, inscriptions and official documents related to the government and the public, and everything with the word Dai Viet must be corrected!"

This set of reforms angered many Annan civil servants.

But he also took the opportunity to win over many civil servants!

Officials who were the first to express support for the restructuring were all promoted. The first generals who took refuge with Zhu Kang were also promoted, and Zhu Kang even married them.

There were even two sons of civil servants who were recommended to study at the Imperial Academy of the Ming Dynasty. As long as his grades are not too bad and he learns Chinese, he has a high chance of staying in the Ming Dynasty and serving as an official.

His son served as an official in the Ming Dynasty, which was enough for Minister Annan to brag about.