Northern Dynasties Imperial Industry

Hearing Zhang Xi's talk, Li Tai couldn't help but laugh.

"I know that there are a lot of evil voices in Jiangling nowadays, saying that I must have some evil plot against Jiangling. It is better to leave quickly to ensure safety. I wonder if Marquis Zhang has heard these remarks?"

He first looked at Zhang Xi and said with a smile. After Zhang Xi heard this, his face suddenly became embarrassed, his mouth opened slightly, but he didn't know how to answer.

Li Tai did not continue to make things difficult for Zhang Xi, but continued: "Our country used to rule the land of Liang and Han. Lanqin of Liang took advantage of the fact that our royal family moved westward and the country was unstable and led troops to steal it. My monarchs and ministers worked hard to recover Liang and Han. May I ask Zhang Hou, is this against morality?"

After Zhang Xi heard this, he immediately shook his head awkwardly, and then lowered his head. As a Nanliang native, answering this question when faced with such a question still made him a little confused.

Li Tai then continued: "Liu Zhongli went south to help the king but failed. When he came back, he raised an army violently and invaded Xiangyang. The king of Liang is a close friend of my country. If he was harassed by this attack, I should send troops to rescue him. The land of Handong was obtained as a result. . At that time, we had an agreement with Jiangling. They took Jingling and I took Shicheng as the boundary. May I cross the boundary now, Marquis Zhang?"

After Zhang Xi heard this, he quickly shook his head. He understood what Li Tai was trying to express by asking this question.

"As for Yiyang, it was lost to Hou Jing's rebellious army a few years ago. After that, the clan thieves wanted to surrender to the east thieves. I left the east thieves and snatched food from the tiger's mouth. I gained Shouyang, Hefei and other places. Apart from that, Jiang Biao Lei Chi is even more impeccable!"

Speaking of this, Li Tai's heart also surged with anger, and he directly slapped the case and said angrily: "I have had many dealings with Jiangling in the past, and I always acted like a gentleman! Even when I entered Xiakou, it was all at your Lord's warm invitation to help with defense. Jiangzhong, I am now being subjected to vicious speculation and criticism. Is it because I have been too polite in my life that I have developed such an arrogant and stupid mentality like you and other southerners? "

Wow!

Li Tai's sudden anger startled Zhang Xi who was sitting at the table. His body was shaken and he knocked down a whole wooden bucket of pearls. Those pearls scattered all over the floor. Zhang Xi felt even more frightened and hurriedly avoided the table to pay his respects. "This is all a stupid plan by the fools in the country, who want to send the Holy Spirit eastward and maliciously frame it. I and your servant have long admired the virtuous name of the General. We know that the General's integrity is unparalleled, and we have not dared to make any evil remarks..."

"Zhang Hou, there is no need to panic. I just expressed my anger and feelings for the moment, and I didn't mean my actions."

Li Tai raised his hand to signal his soldiers to sweep up the scattered pearls in the hall, then looked down at Zhang Xi and said: "Although I respect the virtues of the Southern Kingdom, I will never treat those who are destined to be of the same mind and with courtesy. ! Whether your king is here or not has nothing to do with me, but if anyone slanders me and makes me an enemy, I don’t mind letting him taste the true feeling of being an enemy of me!”

"I don't dare, I don't dare. When I return home, I will try my best to advise my lord to be careful about people's words. Don't be misled by treacherous people. You must be close to the virtuous and stay away from the evil and sycophants!"

When Zhang Xi heard this, he kowtowed again and said.

"Since Zhang Hou has said this, I believe you for the time being. But I heard that there are many famous officials in your country who have said this, such as Zhou Hongzheng of Runan."

Li Tai briefly narrated the information he received, then looked at Zhang Xi and said with a smile: "Does Marquis Zhang have any plan to control such a person who has a great reputation and prides himself on being honest?"

"Yes, yes, please, please give me some ideas, General Rong Pu!"

Hearing that Li Tai's remarks about Zhou Hongzheng were almost the same as those in the Jiangling court discussion, Zhang Xi realized more and more that the current Jiangling court had no secrets at all in the eyes of the other party. Since he asked this question, he undoubtedly wanted to See how valuable you really are.

In the blink of an eye, many thoughts flashed through his mind, and after a while, he gradually came up with an idea: "Although Zhou Hongzheng was well-known at that time and looked like a gentleman, he was actually just a person selling his reputation. In the old year, Zhaoming When Taizong was dying, Zhou Hongzheng actually suggested that Taizong should follow the example of the sages Wu Taibo, give up the throne, and teach others to abandon their family and country for the sake of fame. This is clearly absurd! "

Li Tai couldn't help but feel happy when he heard this. He didn't expect that Zhou Hongzheng, whom he had never met before, was such a brave little old man, and actually advised Xiao Gang not to accept the position of prince.

But obviously Xiao Gang didn't listen to him, but in the end he just served as a puppet to satisfy the emperor's addiction, and then he was killed. I wonder if he regretted not following Zhou Hongzheng's advice before he died.

"Today, I seem to be generous, but I am generous on the outside and taboo on the inside. I don't care about Zhou Hongzheng, an important person. Today, Xiangyang and Jiangling have become bitter enemies. If Yueyang sends heavy goods to Zhou Hongzheng, thank you. His outspoken kindness back then must be suspicious when he sees it now, so it is natural for him to distance himself from Hongzheng and not adopt his words!"

After hearing this, Li Tai's eyes suddenly lit up. Who said these Nanliang nobles were worthless? If you let them revitalize the country, they may not be able to do it, but if you let them engage in internal strife and harm the country and the people, they will have 800 ideas in a blink of an eye. This is called professionalism!

It's just that General Li was pure and clean. He had to wash his ears immediately after hearing such dirty things. Of course, he couldn't continue to ask for details, so he frowned and waved his hand and said: "I have been working day and night. I am exhausted physically and mentally. Please entertain Liu Lang for me. We must let Zhang Hou return home happily!”

After saying this, he stood up. Upon seeing this, Zhang Xi replied that Li Tai did not like this method, and hurriedly stood up and argued: "General, please stay, there are still servants..."

Liu Guangde pulled him aside and said with a smile: "The general is busy with official duties, but he is willing to come to see you. He is very polite to Zhang Hou. I have high expectations for you. Zhang Hou enjoys this generous favor when we first meet. As time goes by, we will know each other better. Why worry about being at a loss in the world!"

Liu Guangde and Zhang Xi stayed in Fancheng for another two days, but Li Tai did not continue to participate in their plans and calculations. He just ordered his nephew Li Zhen to cooperate with their actions to a certain extent.

When Liang Wang Xiaozhao knew that Li Tai passed through Fancheng, he hurriedly led Cai Dabao and several other confidants to meet him. On the one hand, he asked about the progress of the war against Shu, and on the other hand, he wanted to know whether the Western Wei would have any changes in attitude and policy towards Jiangling next.

This is another person who was blinded by hatred. In his words, he advised Li Tai to persuade the court to put the advancement of Jiangling on the agenda, and he did not feel guilty about such traitorous words and deeds. Of course, it was also because in Xiao Zha's mind, he never thought that Jiangling could represent the orthodoxy of Southern Liang.

Li Tai perfunctorily answered the King of Liang, but he was sighing in his heart. He really didn't know how much evil the old Bodhisattva Xiao had done to raise such a group of weirdos. Originally, these clans should have the strongest sense of responsibility for the rise and fall of the country, but they were all full of selfish desires, as if the only meaning of living was to embarrass themselves.

He did not discuss the issues related to the attack on Jiangling with the King of Liang in depth, because from his point of view, he actually didn't want this to happen too early. Once an attack on Jiangling was launched, it would inevitably bring about huge changes to the situation and order in the southeast. At present, he had no confidence that he could firmly control the situation.

When Li Tai left Fancheng and returned to Mianbei not long ago, the latest news from Jiangling was also passed on. Xiao Yi gave up the plan to move back to Jiankang and decided to stay in Jiangling.

Zhang Xi's plan of alienation was very successful. He directly told Xiao Yi that Zhou Hongzheng was secretly colluding with Xiangyang and urged to move the capital just to transfer the personnel of Jiangling to Jiankang, so that Liang Wang Xiao Zhao could smoothly seize Jiangling.

In this way, Xiangyang and Jiangling were both under the control of Liang Wang Xiao Zhao. In addition to Shuzhong, which had been seized by Western Wei, Xiao Zhao would have an absolute upper hand in the confrontation with Xiao Yi. At that time, Jiankang would also have to bear the pressure of Northern Qi, and would directly fall into a situation of being surrounded by enemies.

Don't say what Xiao Yi thought. After listening to the report, Li Tai felt that this was too vicious!

So it was not surprising that Zhou Hongzheng, the main member who advised to move back to Jiankang, was directly suspected and alienated by Xiao Yi, and was imprisoned for interrogation to see if he really had any connection with Xiangyang.

As for Zhang Xi, he gained Xiao Yi's trust and replaced Zhou Hongzheng as the Yellow Gate Minister and sat in the Shizhong Province. In addition, his uncle Zhang Wan, who was originally a prefect outside, was also recalled to Jiangling and appointed as Shangshu You Pushe. For a while, the uncle and nephew of the Fanyang Zhang family, who were originally deserted, became prosperous in Jiangling.

After gaining power, Zhang Xi did not forget his friendship with Li Tai. He directly sent a messenger to Mianbei to ask when the previously donated goods could be transported back to Jiangling.

Li Tai has always been generous in this regard. Besides, for him, it was just a temporary change of warehouse. He immediately arranged for the transportation to Jiangling according to Zhang Xi's wishes.

When he was on the bench before, Zhang Xi showed a high value of united front because he was familiar with the internal personnel disputes of the Southern Liang. Now that his family has regained power in Jiangling, this route is of course more worth maintaining.

Just when Li Tai was still happily celebrating the breakthrough in the infiltration of the Jiangling court, he did not expect that their Western Wei was also on fire in the backyard, and a conspiracy against Yuwen Tai, the head of the hegemony, was unfolding.