Xianxia version of Water Margin

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The reason why Jiang Hongfei decided to rest for three years was mainly because he accepted the advice of Chen Gongfu.

In the third year of Zhenghe, Chen Gongfu stood out in the "Three Houses" selection and won the first prize. His outstanding talent was comparable to the top scholar of the Jinshi exam, and he was in the limelight for a while.

If it weren't for the undercurrents in the court and the exclusion of powerful officials, he should have been in a high position long ago, instead of floating in the officialdom for more than ten years before he reached the position of the seventh-rank right censor.

When Chen Gongfu entered the officialdom, he upheld his integrity, gave honest advice, and was not afraid of power.

When he was a professor in Pingjiang Prefecture, facing the overwhelming power of Zhu Jie and the scene of officials fawning on him, he adhered to his principles and refused to go along with Zhu Jie. Even when his brother died, he not only avoided it himself, but also strictly ordered his students not to go to mourn.

Li Bangyan's reinstatement shocked the court and the public. Everyone was angry but dared not speak out. Only Chen Gongfu stood up and submitted a memorial overnight to expose his evil deeds of selling out his country for glory, which eventually led to his and his cronies being dismissed.

In history, after the Jin invaded the south, there were constant disputes in the court. Wu Min and Li Gang fell out, but Chen Gongfu was able to uphold justice, not be moved by personal feelings, and serve the country wholeheartedly.

His integrity and loyalty were deeply appreciated by Zhao Gou, who specially granted him the third-grade court dress and ordered the Shangshu Province to draw his portrait to commend him.

Times have changed. Chen Gongfu went from Song to Yuan. As a surrendered minister, he should have been cautious in his words and deeds to avoid criticism and to protect himself.

But he was brave enough to speak out and never tolerated the injustice in the court.

Long before Jiang Hongfei went south to attack Wang Qing, Chen Gongfu had strongly advocated a policy of recuperation and restoration, advocating that the people's strength should be taken into consideration and a policy of recuperation and restoration should be implemented to calm the people's hearts, consolidate the foundation of the country, and plan for the long term.

At that time, Wang Qing, the Southern Song Dynasty, and Fang La all showed their weak side, which was a golden opportunity for the Yuan Empire to complete the great unification.

At this time, Chen Gongfu openly wrote a letter to Jiang Hongfei, asking him to stop the war and let the people in the Central Plains and even the entire Yuan Empire rest and restore for three years.

You know, at that time, Jiang Hongfei was going to attack Chen Gongfu's homeland.

It is hard not to doubt that Chen Gongfu submitted a memorial to Jiang Hongfei in order to preserve the Zhao Song Dynasty.

In fact, at that time, when hearing Chen Gongfu's proposal, many people thought that Chen Gongfu was crazy, and some even thought that Chen Gongfu was a spy of the Southern Song Dynasty and asked Jiang Hongfei to kill Chen Gongfu.

But Jiang Hongfei knew that Chen Gongfu was dedicated to the public, not to Zhao Gou, who could only run away, and the small Southern Song Dynasty court that was resisting stubbornly.

At that time, although Jiang Hongfei had been working hard to manage every piece of land he got, and looting everywhere, in the end, the money and food he got was barely enough to develop and expand his territory.

And that was before Jiang Hongfei got the Central Plains.

After getting the Central Plains, which had been beaten to pieces, Jiang Hongfei couldn't help but have some trouble managing it.

At that time, the Yuan Empire had no money and no food, and the people lived in dire straits.

The key is that if Jiang Hongfei conquered Wang Qing's territory, he would have to feed tens of millions of mouths. If he also wiped out the small Southern Song Dynasty court and Fang La, the pressure on the Yuan Empire would immediately increase by more than double.

Moreover, Jiang Hongfei had formulated the Yellow River governance plan, the Grand Canal plan, the industrial revolution plan, the great navigation plan, and the great post station system plan at that time.

None of these cost a lot.

In addition, Jiang Hongfei had been suppressing and recruiting defeated soldiers, bandits, and rebels in the Central Plains, Hebei, Hedong, and Shaanxi regions. It also required a lot of money and food to settle these people.

It is no exaggeration to say that Jiang Hongfei was really reluctant to suppress Wang Qing at that time.

Fortunately, Jiang Hongfei sent Li Jun, Le He and others to lead the army to attack Goryeo, and later sent the three heroes of the Ruan family to capture Japan. He obtained the accumulation of hundreds of years of the Goryeo Dynasty and thousands of years of the Japanese Dynasty, and then obtained the money and food needed for the great unification, and then eliminated Wang Qing, the Southern Song Dynasty and Fang La, and completed the great unification.

Later, Jiang Hongfei carefully read the memorial submitted by Chen Gongfu to him.

In the memorial, Chen Gongfu listed the severe situation faced by the Yuan Empire at that time in detail, and warned Jiang Hongfei that if Jiang Hongfei insisted on his own way, it might cause the good situation that the Yuan Empire had finally created to collapse.

At that time, Jiang Hongfei was actually persuaded by Chen Gongfu.

However, the main reason why Jiang Hongfei is the king and Chen Gongfu is the minister is that Jiang Hongfei knows how to find solutions, while Chen Gongfu can only see the difficulties in front of him.

After Jiang Hongfei realized that the people's strength was exhausted, he understood that all this was because of insufficient money and materials, especially the lack of food.

Moreover, the people who had been baptized by war were too tired, and they had to rest and recuperate.

So Chen Gongfu's reminder was not wrong and was also timely.

But the opportunity was rare, so Jiang Hongfei decided to send troops to complete the unification and found a solution to the problem from the Goryeo Dynasty and the Japanese Dynasty.

However, on the other hand, Jiang Hongfei temporarily suppressed the problems of the Yuan Empire by plundering the Goryeo Dynasty and the Japanese Dynasty.

But this does not mean that the Yuan Empire has solved these problems.

Now, Jiang Hongfei has completed the unification.

It's time to solve these problems.

So, not long after Jiang Hongfei returned to Yuan Dadu from Nanjing, he summoned Chen Gongfu to the palace and had a heart-to-heart talk with Chen Gongfu.

Jiang Hongfei and Chen Gongfu deeply analyzed the various difficulties faced by the Yuan Empire.

This time, Jiang Hongfei took the initiative to suggest that it was time to let the people recuperate and at the same time solve all the problems currently faced by the Yuan Empire.

Chen Gongfu took the opportunity to reveal his true feelings. He said: "As a minister of remonstrance, my duty is to alert the king and prevent national disasters. Your Majesty followed the trend of the times and made wise decisions. Not only did it resolve the crisis, but it also led the Yuan Dynasty to the path of unification. Your Majesty's wisdom and courage are beyond the reach of our ministers."

These words are not only Chen Gongfu's praise for Jiang Hongfei, but also his adherence to his duties.

It is admirable that even though Jiang Hongfei has proven himself to be wise, he can still humbly accept advice and listen to Chen Gongfu's perhaps harsh but sincere suggestions.

This move not only demonstrates Jiang Hongfei's mind as a king, but also makes Chen Gongfu feel that he has not misjudged this monarch.

Although Jiang Hongfei's character is not without the flaws of lust and greed, his talent, foresight and determination in the overall situation of governing the country undoubtedly show the style of a wise monarch, enough to take on the heavy responsibility of ending the troubled times.

In recognition of Chen Gongfu's loyalty and wisdom, Jiang Hongfei appointed Chen Gongfu to the newly created position of Jianyi Dafu, which was ranked third grade, eight levels higher than Chen Gongfu's previous seventh grade censor, which was a step up.

At the same time, Jiang Hongfei also strengthened the power of the Censorate, making it an important pillar of central administrative supervision and justice, and together with the Ministry of Justice and the Dali Temple, it formed a three-legal system to ensure judicial justice and smooth government orders.

This appointment not only shocked the court and the public, but also made many politically sensitive people smell the breath of change.

It is undoubtedly a high affirmation of Chen Gongfu's ability and loyalty, and also foreshadows Jiang Hongfei's firm implementation of the policy of recuperation.

For a time, there were praises for Jiang Hongfei's disregard for past grudges and his selection of talents. At the same time, some people began to speculate whether there was a deeper political layout and long-term considerations behind this.

With Jiang Hongfei's order, the three-year recuperation policy officially kicked off, and the Yuan Empire ushered in a new stage of development...

The Jin and Xia envoys also heard that Jiang Hongfei was going to recuperate for three years.

Of course, in the interface of the Yuan Empire, especially in the capital of the Yuan Empire, the Jin and Xia envoys knew that Jiang Hongfei was going to recuperate for three years, which must be what Jiang Hongfei wanted them to know.

In fact, when Jiang Hongfei was about to meet with the Jin and Xia envoys, the ministers in the court offered suggestions.

One group of ministers strongly advocated accepting the peace terms of the Jin and Xia countries, including important ministers such as Wang Lun and Chai Jin. They believed that these conditions were not only generous, but also greatly beneficial to the development of the Yuan Empire, and they were afraid of missing the opportunity.

The other group, led by Li Gang and Chen Ke, was cautious. They were not completely opposed to the peace talks, but advocated that the majesty and wisdom of the Yuan Empire should be demonstrated in the negotiations, and concessions should not be made easily.

Jiang Hongfei is well versed in the ways of the court. He carefully distinguishes the voices of the two factions and tries to discern the true national interests from them.

At the same time, Jiang Hongfei knows that although peace talks are good, they also need to weigh the pros and cons, both to maintain national dignity and to ensure long-term development.

In the eyes of those in favor, the conditions of Jin and Xia are a godsend opportunity, which can be used to ease the pressure on the border and promote domestic stability.

Opponents worry that if they easily agree, they may be seen as weak and vulnerable, and they may fall into a more passive situation in the future. They advocate that they should be flexible at the negotiating table, showing sincerity and keeping the bottom line to gain more benefits.

Of course, there are also some ministers, such as Liu Yanzong and Xiao Qing, who hope that Jiang Hongfei can destroy the Jin Kingdom in one fell swoop and avenge their Liao people.

In order to persuade Jiang Hongfei, Liu Yanzong, Xiao Qing and others also found a lot of reasons, such as the Jurchens are greedy, cunning, and definitely not sincere in peace talks. The Yuan Empire should take advantage of the sharp frontier and flatten the Jin Kingdom in one fell swoop.

Jiang Hongfei felt that the ministers who opposed him agreeing to the peace terms proposed by the Jin and Xia envoys on behalf of the Jin and Xia countries had more reason.

Of course, except for Liu Yanzong, Xiao Qing and other Liao people who were blinded by hatred.

Later, Jiang Hongfei adopted the opinions of some opponents, and after meeting with the Jin and Xia envoys and stating his conditions, he asked them to go to Prime Minister Wang Lun to discuss the details.

After receiving Jiang Hongfei's instructions, Wang Lun took the Jin and Xia envoys to his palace.

Wang Lun faced the envoy of the Jin Kingdom and said calmly: "Although I hold the view of peace talks, the evil deeds of Olubu, Jamu and others are too numerous to list. If these criminals are returned to your country, the former Liao people of our dynasty will be dissatisfied, which may be detrimental to the stability of our dynasty. I hope your country can understand the difficulties of our dynasty. Moreover, the daughters of Jin Fei and others have given birth to princes and princesses for His Majesty the Emperor of our dynasty. The pain of separation of flesh and blood is really unbearable for His Majesty, so please do not mention this matter again. Moreover, with the presence of Jin Fei and others, our two families will be closer, which will be of great benefit to the peace talks. As for the annual tribute, it is not the foundation of long-term peace. The lessons of Song and Liao are still before us. If your country really wants to negotiate peace with the Yuan Dynasty, it should withdraw its troops immediately and abandon the annual tribute."

The Jin envoy heard this and thought to himself that Wang Lun's words might not turn around. The success or failure of this matter depends on the attitude of decision makers such as Wanyan Wuqimai.

Afterwards, Wang Lun turned his gaze to Envoy Xia and said slowly, "Although the Emperor of our dynasty has many daughters, he is of a strong character and will never exchange peace for a princess' marriage. I think that our two countries can find another way. If your country is willing, you can marry one or two royal women to our dynasty to form a good relationship. I heard that your country's Queen Mother Daliang and Liang Yimai's younger brother have illegitimate daughters. They are twin sisters with outstanding looks. They are quite similar to Queen Mother Daliang when she was young, and even have some similarities with Queen Mother Xiaoliang. If we can marry these two women, it will definitely deepen the friendship between the two countries and seek long-term development together."

Although the history of Western Xia is not long, only more than a hundred years, it gave birth to two legendary women, the Liang Queen Mother and the Liang Queen Mother. They are not only important figures in the political arena of Western Xia, but also key roles in the long-term confrontation with the Zhao Song Dynasty.

When the Liang Queen Mother was in power, she joined hands with her brother Liang Yimai to firmly grasp the power of the government. The children and confidants of the Liang family were all over the court, forming a powerful maternal party. They launched wars abroad and suppressed dissidents at home, which led to the continuous war between Western Xia and Zhao Song.

After the death of the Liang Queen Mother, the Liang Queen Mother took over the power and continued to implement a tough policy. She conspired with Liang Yimai's son Liang Yibu on state affairs.

However, the brother and sister gradually drifted apart due to the power struggle.

In the end, the Liang Queen Mother killed the Liang family, but also plunged Western Xia into a more turbulent situation.

After Li Qianshun took power, he focused on rectifying the administration of officials, strengthening the centralization of monarchy, and ending the era of dictatorship of foreign relatives and nobles. He promulgated a series of reform measures, including hierarchical official titles, tax reduction, emphasis on agriculture and sericulture, and water conservancy, which gradually revived the power of Xixia.

However, Xixia was small in territory and limited in national strength, and it was difficult to compete with the powerful Yuan Empire.

Therefore, Li Qianshun chose the strategy of marriage, hoping to temporarily stabilize Jiang Hongfei and buy time for Xixia to develop.

But Jiang Hongfei was unwilling to marry his daughter, but asked Xixia to marry a princess, who must be Li Qianshun's elder.

Envoy Xia was also embarrassed by this.

Although the twin sisters mentioned by Wang Lun were beautiful, it was difficult to confirm that they were Li Qianshun's cousins.

Even if their identities were correct, as women who had a deep hatred for Xixia, it was unknown whether they could sincerely mediate for Xixia.

Envoy Xia thought that he could only report the matter to Li Qianshun for decision.

In the subsequent talks, the two sides also had an in-depth discussion on the establishment of border trading posts and other matters.

After the meeting, the envoys from Jin and Xia both said they needed to return to their respective countries to consult their respective emperors before making a decision.

Afterwards, the envoys from Jin and Xia came to bid farewell to Jiang Hongfei. Jiang Hongfei generously rewarded the envoys from Jin and Xia according to the inherent diplomatic etiquette, and then sent envoys Zhao Liangsi and Ma Kuo to escort the envoys from Jin and Xia respectively to leave the Yuan Dynasty, and went to Jin and Xia together with the envoys from Jin and Xia to discuss the peace talks...

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