Do You Know?: I, the Little Cabinet Elder, Regent of the World.

Chapter 252 Who can keep Gu Tingye and Wang Shao in check?

Is the Grand Chancellor really going to retire in glory?

Who might succeed the Chief Minister?
These two topics spread throughout the elite circles, sparking considerable discussion and causing a great uproar.

That's not surprising.

Firstly, Han Zhang himself has an excellent reputation.

As a veteran official of two generations, Han Zhang experienced great ups and downs throughout his life.

He entered the cabinet at the age of thirty-seven, but was unfortunately demoted to a remote area for twelve years. Through his cunning and strategic planning, he finally returned to the capital at the age of forty-nine and became the prime minister at the age of fifty.

He then held power over the country for twelve consecutive years.

A twelve-year tenure as Grand Secretary is quite rare, even in historical records.

Great ups and downs, great downs and great ups!
His life was nothing short of legendary, and even the disciples he taught became Grand Secretaries of the Cabinet.

Such a person retiring with honors naturally attracts attention.

Secondly, Han Zhang's retirement involved the change of the position of Grand Chancellor.

The Grand Secretary, the Chancellor of the Secretariat and the Privy Council, together form the title of Prime Minister.

The Grand Chancellor, the foremost among all ministers!
This is truly second only to the emperor, a position of unparalleled power and influence.

When someone retires from office, someone else inevitably rises to a higher position.

Who will ultimately win the position, or who is most likely to take it, inevitably arouses curiosity.

Thirdly, his disciple Jiang Zhao is very likely to take over.

Once Jiang Zhao takes the throne, Han Zhang and Jiang Zhao will be "two prime ministers from one family". If we take into account the halo of "Han Family Standing in the Snow", then they will be an unparalleled model of master and disciple throughout the ages.

A timeless classic style naturally inspires anticipation and attention.

In feudal times, there was a lack of gossip topics, so the change of the position of prime minister was undoubtedly a top-notch gossip topic.

This naturally sparked a great deal of discussion.

However, despite the heated discussions, objectively speaking, Han Zhang will not actually step down immediately.

Generally speaking, the power transition of Grand Secretaries in the Cabinet occurs in May or June.

In other words, Han Zhang still has about half a year left in his term!
Normally, a topic of this magnitude, as long as the mystery remains unsolved, will definitely remain at the top of the "Bianjing Hot Search List" for a long time.

The result.
A piece of news about the Liao Dynasty has become a trending topic!
In February, in the Imperial Study.

The ruler and his ministers faced each other.

On a small wooden table about ten feet tall, several documents were laid out. Zhao Ceying paced back and forth, his face slightly somber.

Below, Jiang Zhao picked up a document and began to read it carefully.

This is a manifesto!
[Emperor Yelü Hongji of the Liao Dynasty issued an edict to the Great Zhou Dynasty:]
The Alliance of Shanyuan was a blood oath, a pledge between brotherly states to each guard their own borders! Yet the Zhou dynasty's border troops have been secretly deceitful, using the guise of the common people to illegally cultivate the land beyond their borders!

They either wield plows and hoes, pretending to be farmers, or wear coarse clothes and pretend to be commoners, but in reality, they are soldiers in armor! They are silently encroaching on our territory, eroding the borders of Wuzhou, Yingzhou, and Xiongzhou, treating our alliance as worthless and playing games with faith and righteousness!
I rule the northern frontier, and by the mandate of Heaven, I govern the people. How can I allow our territory to shrink day by day?

Now, an army of 100,000 is stationed on the frontier, their iron cavalry poised for battle! This edict is hereby issued:
Alternatively, three prefectures could be ceded to Liaodong, with annual tribute of gold and silk to atone for past transgressions, thus ending hostilities and restoring old friendships.

If they stubbornly resist, I will personally lead my elite troops, break through mountains and passes, and bring justice to the people!
The will of Heaven is clear; the challenge has been delivered!
The choice of which path to take is yours alone!

The proclamation was not long, only a couple hundred words.

However, the intensity of the language used was quite rare.

The main content consists of two parts:

First, Yelü Hongji explained the "reasons" for issuing the proclamation.

Yelü Hongji claimed that the border troops violated the Treaty of Chanyuan, using the guise of civilians to cross the border and cultivate land. He accused the border troops of disguising themselves as innocent civilians, but in reality, they were frontier soldiers who used the act of crossing the border to cultivate land in order to seize land and treat the friendship between the two countries as a joke.

Secondly, Yelü Hongji stationed 100,000 troops on the frontier, claiming that Xiongzhou, Yingzhou, and Wuzhou were all territories occupied by the border army, and thus presented two options:

Alternatively, the Great Zhou could cede three prefectures and provide annual tribute as compensation to settle the matter peacefully.

Either they would go to war, and the Liao Kingdom would march south to seek justice.

After about half an incense stick's time, the proclamation was read.

Jiang Zhao shook his head and said calmly, "With 100,000 soldiers, the consumption of food and fodder alone is an unimaginable astronomical figure."

Judging from the tone of the proclamation, Yelü Hongji showed absolutely no sincerity and probably never intended to negotiate peace. At this point, fighting is likely already underway on the frontier.

Since the Treaty of Shanyuan, there have been many frictions between the Zhou and Liao states, but without exception, almost all of them ended in "mediation".

The main reason for this was that the Liao Dynasty's proclamation carried an obvious sense of coercion and extortion. Every word and phrase was aggressive, but there was no real intention to fight.

Even between the lines, one can sense that the Liao state was simply trying to gain some annual tribute benefits, perhaps wanting to increase the price of the Treaty of Shanyuan.

For this reason, the two countries usually find themselves in a small-scale standoff, which is then mediated by diplomatic envoys to achieve peace talks and coexist peacefully.

Generally speaking, this situation may not involve the killing of more than three to five thousand people.

However, this time it was a little different.

Ceding three states, or going to war!
The words were far too decisive and ruthless.

The 100,000 iron cavalrymen looked like a storm was brewing.

Yelü Hongji was definitely not after the benefits of paying tribute!

"Ah!"

Zhao Ceying stood with his hands behind his back, his face grim, and said disdainfully, "In the past, if it were the Liao people's 100,000 iron cavalry, I would probably have had to be quite wary of them."

"But now, Zichuan's governance reforms are in full swing, and the ceramic bombs produced by the Ordnance Bureau have already achieved mass production."

"Let Gu Tingye and Wang Shao lead the expedition together with ceramic bombs. These mere barbarians, who refuse to submit to our rule, are nothing to fear."

"Snapped!"

With a slap on the wooden table, Zhao Ceying said in a deep voice, "If that's the case, let Yelü Hongji test the abilities of the orthodox Central Plains lineage!"

Jiang Zhao nodded silently.

The Liao cavalry has always been quite powerful.

Nomadic peoples were indeed quite accomplished in horsemanship and archery. If it weren't for ceramic bombs, the elite troops of Hedong Road might not have been able to defeat the Liao people.

However… should we send Gu Tingye and Wang Shao on the expedition together?
Jiang Zhao pondered for a moment, then reminded him, "In recent years, Gu Tingye and Wang Shao have always been on equal footing. If we want them to work together with one heart and one mind, we must make them both assistants."

"But since the end of the twelfth lunar month, the Duke of England has been seriously ill and bedridden. I wonder who His Majesty intends to appoint as commander-in-chief?"

Jiang Zhao looked past with seriousness.

At the end of October in the third year of the Xifeng era, Wang Shao submitted a memorial expressing his concern that the Liao Kingdom would launch a military campaign southward and invade the territory.

At that time, the emperor and his minister discussed the selection of a commander.

With the Duke of England as the principal, Gu Tingye and Wang Shao would serve as his assistants.

Without the Duke of England, one of Gu Tingye or Wang Shao will be the principal official, with the Marquis of Zhongjing as his assistant.

Ultimately, considering the advanced age of the British Duke, the recent arrival of Gu Tingye in the capital, and Wang Shao's capable command of troops, Zhao Ceying chose to delegate power, allowing Wang Shao to temporarily take command of the Hedong Road military.

And so, the issue of "selecting a commander-in-chief" was temporarily resolved.

Now that the Liao Dynasty has 100,000 troops stationed on the frontier, the question of who should be the commander of the frontier must be considered again.

However, unlike last year, this year's commander will not include a British duke!
At the end of last December, the Duke of England caught a cold, coughed incessantly, and was unable to get out of bed.

At sixty-seven years old, having caught a cold, he was destined to be unable to go on the expedition.

In other words, if Gu Tingye and Wang Shao were to go on the expedition together, someone other than the Duke of Ying would have to be chosen as the commander-in-chief.

Moreover, this person must be able to keep Gu Tingye and Wang Shao in check.

Do such people exist?
Damn it, the emperor isn't going to lead the army in person, is he?
Zhao Ceying glanced over and, with just one look, knew the worry in Jiang Zhao's heart, and couldn't help but smile.

Jiang Qing, you really are always worried about my safety!
With such a ruler and his ministers, what more could one ask for?
Zhao Ceying shook his head and waved his hand, saying, "Don't worry, unless there is an opportunity for unification, I will definitely not easily lead an expedition in person."

“The position of commander-in-chief does not necessarily have to be the Duke of England.” Zhao Ceying glanced around, his gaze deep: “I already have a suitable candidate in mind.”

Are there any experts?

Jiang Zhao was startled.

Besides him, Zhao Ceying, and the Duke of Ying, who else could keep Gu Tingye and Wang Shao in check?

"Who is it?" Jiang Zhao couldn't help but ask.

"My lord!"

Ordnance Bureau, Bomb Factory.

Gunpowder, ceramics, fuse, live pigs, armor.

"Ow—"

"Ow—"

The live pig was covered in iron armor, and several of its legs were tightly tied with ropes, making it unable to move. It kept screaming in alarm.

Ceramic bombs were tied to the armored vehicle with ropes and fuses.

A lead wire, more than ten meters long, stretched out in a continuous line.

A hundred paces away, sandbags were piled up, forming a five-foot-high shelter.

Han Zhang, Jiang Zhao, Shen Kuo, Gu Tingye, Zheng Xiao, Zhang Ding, and Yao Si, some with their hands behind their backs and others with their hands hanging down, all gazed into the distance. A craftsman picked up a tinderbox and blew on it, causing orange-red sparks to flicker continuously.

Reach out a little.

"Bah!"

The fuse was lit, and the craftsman quickly retreated.

"Ow—"

"Ow—"

The pigs' squeals grew louder and louder.

About ten breaths.

"Oh!"

A thunderclap shook the ground, drowning out all other sounds in the training ground.

Even the loud squeals of the pigs suddenly disappeared.

Smoke billowed, and the smell of gunpowder and blood created gusts of air that swept over us.

Led by Han Zhang and Jiang Zhao, the group slowly walked over and watched intently.

As the smoke and dust cleared, only a scene of utter devastation remained.

The live pig's armor, already riddled with holes, was pierced by ceramic shards.

It was once a lively, fat pig, but its fur was charred black, its body riddled with holes, and it lay bleeding profusely; it was already lifeless.

"Death by armor penetration."

"Is this the bomb?"

Han Zhang squinted, picked up a small piece of ceramic shard, and nodded repeatedly.

If the conditions had been right back then, how could the Battle of Haoshuichuan have ended in such a crushing defeat and disgrace?

Apart from Jiang Zhao and Shen Kuo, who remained calm, the rest of the group were all more or less shocked, their eyes filled with undisguised astonishment.

You know, this is armored!
Normally, only heavy cavalry and officers in the army can wear iron armor. The rest of the soldiers usually wear paper armor, cloth armor, or leather armor, depending on their level of elite status.

It's safe to say that one person in armor could easily take on five opponents!

结果
Breaking through armor and slaughtering pigs were as easy as pie.

A person who gets hit by a bomb is unlikely to fare any better.

terror!
“In comparison, this thing is better at setting traps and defending cities.” Jiang Zhao lowered his hands, glanced at his mentor, and sighed silently.

"call!"

Han Zhang let out a long sigh and exclaimed, "A national treasure!"

As the Grand Secretary and the head of all officials, Han Zhang was naturally aware of the existence of the bomb.

However, they only knew of its existence and had never actually seen the bomb.

Seeing it now, I couldn't help but feel a jolt in my heart.

With such a powerful weapon, the so-called nomadic peoples are nothing but clowns!
This thing almost completely negated the Liao Dynasty's cavalry advantage.

Armor-piercing and fragmentation damage.

If an ambush is set up to lure the Liao people into a trap and deprive them of their horses, then these mere nomadic tribes are nothing to fear.

The remaining people also nodded in agreement.

These were all military generals who had fought their way up the frontier, so they naturally knew just how powerful bombs were.

This is something that can truly turn the tide of battle.

"How many have the Ordnance Bureau produced?" Han Zhang asked, turning his head.

"Reporting to the Grand Chancellor, it is approximately thirty-seven thousand," Shen Kuo quickly raised his hand in a salute and replied.

Starting in March of the second year of the Xifeng reign, the Ordnance Bureau officially began mass production of ceramic bombs.

Producing nearly 40,000 ceramic bombs in less than a year is quite efficient.

"Ah."

Han Zhang nodded, pondering to himself, and slowly said, "The horses of nomadic peoples are indeed unique. Yesterday, Wang Shao sent a military report saying that the two sides were barely locked in a stalemate, and even slightly losing ground."

"This time, the Ordnance Bureau will allocate 20,000 ceramic bombs for me to take with me into the country."

Han Zhang pondered for a moment, then said, "By taking them by surprise and catching them off guard, we can break the deadlock."

"Yes." Since the Grand Master had spoken, Shen Kuo naturally had no objection.

The others' eyes lit up, and they all felt relieved.

Given the nature of the government, it was impossible for Yelü Hongji to agree to his demand to "cede land."

Of course, the Liao state itself did not expect the emperor to agree to this condition.

As a result, war inevitably broke out on the border.

However, once the battle began, the Zhou side fell into a certain degree of decline.

There are two main reasons for this:
Firstly, nomadic peoples were quite accomplished in horsemanship and archery.

Both were cavalry, but the Liao cavalry was far more formidable.

The commander's strategy may be sound, but the soldiers just can't defeat the Liao people. What can be done?
Secondly, the border soldiers on the Hedong Road are not very capable.

Since the Treaty of Shanyuan, there have been some minor frictions between the Zhou and Liao states, but the soldiers of Hedong Road have almost always suffered repeated defeats.

Compared to the morale of the Xihe border troops, the morale of the Hedong border troops was far inferior.

When morale is low, combat effectiveness is low.

This situation did not arise overnight, and even those knowledgeable in military affairs like Jiang Zhao, Wang Shao, and Gu Tingye have no good solutions for the time being.

The only solution is to decisively defeat the Liao Kingdom and greatly boost morale.

Otherwise, no matter how much morale is boosted, the fighting capacity will be weak.

To boost morale, we must win battles.

To win a battle, morale must be high.

In the past, this situation would have been quite difficult to resolve.

Things are different now; with ceramic bombs, the impasse can be broken.

"My esteemed teacher is already sixty-two years old, why should he accept the official's assignment..."

Jiang Zhao glanced at it twice, hesitated, sighed, and advised, "If it really doesn't work, Master, you can take charge of the overall situation for me, and I can go to war!"

"Or, we could simply send bombs into the border. With Wang Shao's talent as a commander and the support of bombs, the chances of winning are not small."

Once the emperor has chosen a commander-in-chief, he naturally needs to ask the person in charge for their opinion.

Jiang Zhao had already prepared his words of refusal.

When asked, Han Zhang became excited and immediately agreed.

A 62-year-old politician with exceptional mental fortitude, excited…

Jiang Zhao sighed slightly.

The emperor is a handful, and so are the teachers!
"No no no!"

Han Zhang shook his head repeatedly: "Going to the border to fight and share the country's burdens is certainly a great thing!"

"Besides, didn't someone already say—"

"Xia Song has never been soaring, and Han Zhang is nothing to be surprised about. The whole province is full of powerful and capable men, yet they still talk about military strategy!"

"Ah!"

Han Zhang shook his head repeatedly and stopped talking.

This is a poem written after the defeat at Haoshuichuan to satirize court officials.

The gist of it is: What talent does Xia Song possess that commands respect? Han Zhang is nothing remarkable either. The land of Sichuan is full of talented individuals, like dragons and tigers, all discussing their military strategies, yet none of them are given important positions. This is the reason for their defeat in the war.

This poem essentially expresses the feelings of being talented but unappreciated, having unfulfilled ambitions, and even the idea that "I could do it too."

At that time, the army was defeated, and the news spread quite widely.

Han Zhang was a brilliant man throughout his life, but his life was almost ruined.

The Battle of Haoshuichuan thus became a thorn in Han Zhang's side.

Now that he has a rare opportunity to command a large army again, Han Zhang naturally wants to win a great victory and vent his anger.

There's absolutely no way to persuade them.

Jiang Zhao sighed and stopped trying to persuade him.

……

(End of this chapter)