Chapter 1085: The Great Song's Expansion

Seeing the crumbling Western Xia and not attacking it would truly be a sin.

Especially for the ministers of the Great Song who had already tasted the flavor of victory, and even more importantly, for an aging Emperor. Not only must they attack Western Xia, but they must also strike at the Khitan, who were gasping their last breaths in the north.

Of course, there was the reason that Wang Yan had been continuously weakening them in the Northwest, causing Western Xia to fall into constant internal strife; not only were the common people under their rule in chaos, but the ruling class at the top was also fighting for power and profit until they were at each other's throats.

However, thanks to the stable development of these past few years and the gradual reforms implemented by Fan Zhongyan and others after they returned to power and absorbed the lessons of the past, the Great Song was strong in both troops and horses, with a wealthy nation and peaceful people; it was truly terrifyingly powerful.

Even this war to destroy Western Xia did not affect the normal development of the country. A war to annihilate a nation was resolved with ease.

Reform is certainly useful, but there are still many areas that have not been touched. For example, the ongoing efforts to clear land and check populations have encountered considerable resistance. Hosting guests, beheading, and taking them in as lackeys—the local magnates are well-versed in these games. Even the commercial tax, which has been fully implemented, is nothing more than a superficial display. The current data is ten out of ten inaccurate.

Furthermore, there are the issues of the imperial clan, the nobility, salt and iron, water transport, the judiciary, and the supervision of officials—all of these are problems, all of them are problems that no one dares to touch lightly, and touching them would be fatal.

However, even so, they have managed to scrape together some money, and coupled with the expansion of territory and the growth of the market, it has truly greatly mitigated the contradictions.

Of course, one cannot say that the reforms of Fan Zhongyan and the others were useless; things must always be done step by step. Tax revenue has indeed increased, and administrative efficiency has indeed improved; these are all tangible facts...

It is just that Zhao Zhen is now a bit greedy for merit; he wants to finish off Western Xia and the Khitan before he dies, and he even has the intention of attacking the Uyghurs. And in the south, he has also begun to study Dali.

Wang Yan knows his lifespan best; his methods of conditioning were completely destroyed by Zhao Zhen's own overtime efforts to father children, and now his body is plagued by frequent problems...

However, Wang Yan greatly appreciates Zhao Zhen's enterprising spirit; if it should be fought, it must be fought.

But unfortunately, these matters have nothing to do with him; no one wants to give away another merit for destroying a nation. When the fighting was going on, he was lecturing at the Imperial Academy; after the war was over, he was still lecturing at the Imperial Academy. Even during the wartime operations meetings, they did not seek out him, the publicly acknowledged best fighter, for consultation. At most, it was just chatting a few words while eating and drinking tea with Fan Zhongyan, Ouyang Xiu, and Old Bao.

However, he is not without company; Di Qing is still there. It is just that he, Wang Mou, truly does not care, while Di Qing looks to him to find balance and self-consolation...

The two of them did participate in the post-war celebration, and Zhao Zhen even bestowed many things...

It was also not long after the celebration ended that Wang Yan met Gu Tingye.

Unless it was wind, rain, thunder, or lightning, Wang Yan walked to the yamen every morning. Along the way, he would talk to the common people, the soldiers of the military patrol, the passing patrolmen, and others. It cannot be said to be inspecting the people's situation; doing it for a day or two is inspection, but doing it always leads to feelings, and every day he has to chat about this and that.

Whose family got married, whose family had a child, whose family is living well, whose family has a small problem—all these things, in the past half year, Wang Yan has established a certain friendship with these common people on his way to work.

He was already popular, and he was willing to interact with the common people; this was an inevitable matter. The common people were also willing, because Wang Yan walked this road every day, and everyone was familiar with his face; if someone dared to cause trouble, they only needed to block Wang Yan and plead. No one would doubt that Wang Yan would not take action after hearing about it.

As early as when Wang Yan was a patrol envoy, the people here had more or less been bathed in his light. They deeply knew what kind of power Minister Wang had...

That was how Gu Tingye came out.

Walking all the way to the entrance of the Imperial Academy within the Imperial City, Wang Yan pinched his fan and pointed at Gu Tingye.

Gu Tingye walked up tactfully and bowed solemnly: "Gu Tingye pays respects to the Minister."

"You've followed me all the way; speak, what is it you seek?"

"The Minister knows Tingye?"

"Previously, this official knew you were studying at my father-in-law's house, and later you were convicted for your words, and the Emperor wanted you to take the imperial examination only after the age of fifty. Last month, the Northwest reported victory, and the name Gu Tingye was also among them."

Wang Yan fanned himself, looking at him with a smile, "But I don't know what business you could have in seeking me out?"

"Tingye wishes to serve under the Minister's tutelage."

"Silence!"

Wang Yan fanned himself, sending him a gust of cool air, "To be able to fight from a mere soldier on the battlefield to the general you are today, you should be a smart person. You should be clear about my current situation. Even if the situation were still good, if you let people hear these words, I fear I would be incriminated because of it. Gu Tingye, your intentions are not good..."

"Tingye is truly seeking to rely on the Minister; how are my intentions not good? The Minister's divine martial prowess is known to all under heaven..."

"Speak plainly." Wang Yan interrupted Gu Tingye's flattery.

"I had long heard that the Minister's temperament is straightforward, and seeing it today, it is truly so. I will not hide it from the Minister; Tingye has long admired the Sheng family's sixth daughter, Sheng Minglan. Although Tingye is not a civil official now, I have also fought my way to some reputation. The Sheng family's sixth daughter has also reached the age of marriage, and Tingye has the intention of proposing marriage, and will visit the door in a few days.

To avoid others saying that Tingye is clinging to the Minister, Tingye comes to cling first. Tingye's feelings for the Sheng family's sixth young lady are certainly sincere, but the words about relying on the Minister are also the truth. Regardless of whether the Minister is there or not, Tingye must marry the Sheng daughter. Regardless of whether the Sheng daughter is willing to marry, Tingye is willing to be driven by the Minister, to go through fire and water, and will not refuse."

"Do not be blinded by temporary gains. To become a general in one battle is indeed extraordinary, but it is nothing remarkable. You should understand the situation of Duke Di. If I were not standing in front, the dog's head in his house would have grown horns. You are a general of the Great Song, not a general of any one person, and even less a general of mine. You must be clear about this principle. If you do your duty, who can cause trouble for you for no reason?

As for seeking to marry the Sheng daughter, that is not something I can manage; it depends on whether Minglan is willing to marry. If you want to be my brother-in-law, you must see if you have the ability. I have said all that needs to be said; go, go."

"Tingye pays respects and thanks the Minister." Gu Tingye bowed solemnly, and then walked away decisively.

Wang Yan's words had already been made clear; as long as he did his duty, no one would cause trouble for him for no reason. But how could it be that no one would cause trouble? Of course, whoever caused trouble for him would be finished.

Only by going to the Western Army and contacting the local garrison troops in the Northwest would one know just how awesome Wang Yan truly is. And only then could one understand that Wang Yan being stripped of power and recalled to the capital to be stuck in the Imperial Academy was absolutely correct.

Coincidentally, Gu Tingye had joined the Western Army.

The army is naturally not a monolithic block; internal infighting is also quite serious, and the Western Army is no exception. And within the Western Army, Wang Yan's old subordinates are the strongest. Moreover, by connecting with other factions and exchanging various interests, the army brings merchants along when fighting, and they even secretly fostered several big merchants themselves, following the rules set by Wang Yan to distribute benefits to everyone.

And Wang Yan's old subordinates still maintain the rules he established: in the spring, they help the common people plow the land under the coordination of the government, and in the autumn, they go to help with the harvest. When fighting, they are incomparably brave, fearless of death, and unstoppable...

Regarding Gu Tingye's sudden appearance, Wang Yan did not have any special feelings. A person who is somewhat smart and has the luck of a protagonist can rise regardless of how the environment changes. Of course, that is under the condition that he is not targeted; after all, he has not failed to deal with protagonists before. Just kidding, who isn't a protagonist?

Arriving at the Imperial Academy yamen, after holding a meeting, mastering the progress of various matters, and incidentally approving the documents that needed his review, he lectured again, and it was not until noon that Wang Yan saw a person he had not seen for a long time.

"Student pays respects to the Minister."

"It has been many years; Cunzhong has aged quite a bit. Sit down and speak."

"The Minister has experienced the affairs of the world, yet you are still as handsome and talented as you were in Hangzhou." Shen Kuo bowed in thanks and sat opposite Wang Yan.

When he was the assistant magistrate of Hangzhou, he was invited by Fan Chunren to lecture at the academy, and Shen Kuo was one of the students listening to the lecture at that time, and he even sought out Wang Yan alone for advice after the lecture ended.

Since then, Shen Kuo began his study of the 'New Learning' and also began to delve into various other things. In the past few years, his contact with Wang Yan had not been interrupted, and they often corresponded. Because of Wang Yan's status, position, and profound and extensive knowledge, even though he was only one year younger than Wang Yan, he still maintained the etiquette of a student, which Shen Kuo insisted on. But in reality, the relationship between the two could be considered both teacher and friend.

However, Shen Kuo's trajectory did not change much; he was still a local official because he had not passed the imperial examination. This year, Shen Kuo came to the capital to participate in the spring examination; because he was already an official, he did not need to wait for half a year like other scholars; he had just arrived in the capital.

And the first thing he did when he arrived in the capital was to send a visiting card to Wang Yan's mansion. Wang Yan directly told him to come to the Imperial Academy at this time, taking advantage of the lunch break, so the two could chat.

But in reality, Shen Kuo had arrived long ago and had even followed along to listen to the morning's lecture...

Wang Yan took a sip of tea and asked with a smile: "Does Cunzhong have confidence in passing the examination this time?"

"Student is not like the Minister; the provincial examination is full of geniuses from every prefecture; how would I dare to say I am certain to pass?"

"I say you can pass."

Hmm? Shen Kuo looked suspiciously at the idol and life model smiling in front of him, and hesitated: "Minister, I fear this move is inappropriate, right? The Minister is currently in the capital..."

"Although I manage the academy, the matter of the imperial examination is not decided by me. And this year is the first time the imperial examination reform has been implemented; even if it were possible to operate in the dark, I could not do such a thing. I say you can pass because your learning is solid, your mindset is stable, and since Western Xia was destroyed at the beginning of the year, it is a time when people are needed; I estimate that this examination should take about four hundred scholars. As long as Cunzhong performs normally, it will be within your grasp; it is a trivial matter."

"Student does not dare to assert; let us wait until after the examination to see."

"Where does Cunzhong's ambition lie?"

"Naturally, to establish a heart for heaven and earth... to open up peace for all generations."

"How to establish it?"

"The way of seeking truth that the Minister spoke of, student has not been slack for a single day; to this day, I have gained something from the investigation of things. But I do not know what the Minister means?"

Shen Kuo was a bit confused, because this was not the normal procedure for a long-awaited reunion. It should be chatting about the situation in the past few years, then talking about the current situation, and then looking forward to the future. Now that the two of them had sat down and hadn't said a few words, they were directly looking forward to the future; he was a bit at a loss.

Wang Yan smiled: "I have left a position for you at the Imperial Academy, which perfectly suits your wishes."

"What the Minister speaks of, could it be the Institute of Crafts?"

"You will be the libationer."

"I fear student is not capable of the task, right?"

"In the Institute of Crafts, master craftsmen are the main focus; there are no high-ranking officials, so you can suppress them. And you are well-versed in all crafts, so this matter is yours alone. Even if you perform poorly, you can still hold the position. If you manage the Institute of Crafts well and research tools that benefit the country and the people, you, Shen Cunzhong, will have made a great contribution."

Shen Kuo did not even hesitate; he stood up directly and bowed: "Student dares not disobey."

Wang Yan nodded with satisfaction; this is a person in the Great Song who is quite suitable for scientific research, and he is suitable for coordinating and managing scientific research, and he can achieve a great career. Compared to letting him lead troops to fight, only to suffer a crushing defeat due to infighting, which would also affect his official career, it is better to teach and do research.

He stood up and patted Shen Kuo on the shoulder: "Let's go, let's go to the cafeteria for lunch."

"Just in time to see how the food at the Imperial Academy is."

Shen Kuo followed behind Wang Yan, curiously observing the situation inside the Imperial Academy along the way. Until they got their food and sat down, this meeting finally returned to the normal track, and the two chatted and laughed about the things that had happened in recent years...

In fact, it was not just Shen Kuo; Wang Yan's mansion received many visiting cards, because he was already one of the figures who must be visited when arriving in the capital.

He met a few people every day, chatted with them, established a good image for himself, spread a good reputation, and it was also conducive to his discovery of talent; this was a good thing that served multiple purposes.

Even the Three Sus came to visit him.

Standing from the perspective of history, the Three Sus visiting together was a new achievement in Wang Yan's life. But placed in the current situation, this was a common matter, nothing strange.

Wang Yan chatted with the father and his two sons mostly about literature; there was no way around it, the father and his two sons were more talented than the other; it was truly poking the nest of the God of Literature.

Of course, Wang Yan did not forget to take care of them.

The Three Sus came to the capital this time to seek official positions. Because after the two brothers Su Shi and Su Zhe passed the imperial examination in the second year of Jiayou, Su Xun's wife, Cheng, passed away from illness, and they all returned home. Now it was time to come out and be officials.

Of course, seeking official positions is one thing, but they were not coming to seek them from him, Wang Yan. The father and his two sons were all awesome, and they did not lack official positions. The more likely reason was to come and see the greatest contributor to the Great Song's current atmosphere.

Su Xun was a reformist, and Su Shi and Su Zhe naturally were too. However, later Su Shi and Su Zhe both opposed Wang Anshi's reforms; they actually did not oppose reform, but opposed the reforms Wang Anshi made, believing there were drawbacks and that one should be cautious. But what kind of temper did Wang Anshi have? He kicked them all out of the capital.

Developing step by step like this, the two brothers also became conservatives. People's thoughts are not immutable; this is something that can be understood.

However, regardless of the reason they came to see Wang Yan, since the Three Sus had come to him, he was naturally happy to help. Facing such historical figures, or figures like the Three Sus, listening to their flattery and various requests for advice, was still very pleasant. Undoubtedly, this was a low-level pleasure, but it was pleasure...

So Wang Yan pulled Su Xun to the Imperial Academy.

Su Xun had no merit, originally recommended by Ouyang Xiu, but now it was Wang Yan's move. Pulling Su Xun to work under him, he could be happy and pleasant watching him every day. Of course, if it were Su Shi, that would be even better.

It was just that Wang Yan considered Su Xun's age, and the father and his two sons could not serve in the same yamen. If not for this, Wang Yan would definitely have pulled all Three Sus under him.

As for the official positions of the two brothers Su Shi and Su Zhe, Wang Yan did not intervene, and unsurprisingly, they were both sent to the Northwest, where there was a severe shortage of people. Although it was a bit arduous, it was also easy to achieve results; all in all, it was not bad...

During this period of time, Gu Tingye truly went to the Sheng mansion to propose marriage. Wang Yan even let Hualan go and talk to Minglan about it; if she didn't like him, he would introduce someone else to Minglan. But after going back and forth communicating with Gu Tingye, Minglan still agreed, which shows that when a king turtle sees a green bean, they hit it off.

Minglan is not stupid; Wang Yan's attitude had already been expressed, and she naturally knew how to grasp her own happiness. So choosing Gu Tingye, if she didn't hit it off, that would be truly stupid. After all, the age gap is large, and Gu Tingye has children born to concubines, which all sound not very pleasant.

On the contrary, Sheng Hong disagreed, and Minglan sought out Hualan, and finally Wang Yan took action and chatted with the father-in-law.

Sheng Hong's opposition was composed of many factors; Gu Tingye is a noble, a military general, and Wang Yan is relatively sensitive, and as a result, his Sheng family even built a bridge in the middle, finding a military general who participated in the war to destroy Western Xia and commanded the Imperial Guards in the capital to be Wang Yan's brother-in-law. Such a thing, Sheng Hong was naturally unwilling.

Wang Yan once again explained the pros and cons to his father-in-law; the key problem is that this father-in-law always holds the thought that even if he, Wang Mou, falls, the Sheng family can continue to exist; how can this work?

From the day he married Sheng Hualan, the Sheng family could no longer run away. So he cruelly shattered that little thought of Sheng Hong's; Sheng Hong now deeply regrets the decision he made back then.

Having such a son-in-law, awesome is awesome, but I fear it is also truly fearful, trembling with fear. He didn't even dare to tell people that he always dreamed of Wang Yan rebelling and failing, implicating the nine clans.

Just thinking about it, he felt his neck go cold...

Regardless of whether he was cold or not, the result was good; the marriage between Gu Tingye and Sheng Minglan was thus settled. Then Gu Tingye's work was adjusted, and the troops he led were much fewer...

And during this time, the disturbances in the capital never stopped. There were only two major events in the court: one was to thoroughly eliminate the Khitan regime, and the other was the matter of the heir.

Even, now the Khitan can not be attacked, but the position of Crown Prince must be determined early.

Zhao Zhen grinded back and forth with the ministers for a year, and finally there was a result...