Chapter 361: Heart-Stirring

"Is that so?"

In the Yanghe Hall, the light smoke of sandalwood curled and drifted.

Zhao Heng's tone suddenly shifted from stern to gentle.

Staring at Dou Wei for a moment, he said, "What the Dou Prime Minister says also has some merit. You... may return."

Hearing this, Dou Wei let out a heavy sigh of relief, feeling secretly pleased.

Yet, he now hated Ma Jin to the core.

He had not expected that he, who spent his days hunting hawks, would have his own eyes pecked by one today.

"Your Majesty, Ma Jin's one-sided words must absolutely not be trusted." Bowing and retreating to the entrance of the great hall, Dou Wei added another sentence.

Zhao Heng waved his hand, remaining silent.

Once Dou Wei's figure disappeared, Changle Princess said, "Father Emperor, the contents of this memorial may not necessarily be a deliberate frame-up by Ma Jin. Why let Dou Wei off so lightly?"

Zhao Heng stood up and said with a smile to Changle, "This is state affairs; it is not something for a daughter like you to manage."

"Although Changle is a daughter, I can still distinguish right from wrong." Changle looked unhappy. "This Dou Wei is simply a scourge to the country and the people."

Seeing this, Imperial Concubine Mi and Liang Cheng both shook their heads helplessly.

Zhao Heng sighed, "Of course I know this is likely true, but Ma Jin is currently a traitorous official. Even if this matter was done by Dou Wei, I cannot punish him based on the words of a traitor. Doing so would only incite dissatisfaction among the powerful clans, and the Great Song empire would only fall into greater chaos."

Pausing, he said, "Therefore, I must endure this matter. However, I am slowly beginning to understand now that these powerful clans cannot be relied upon; enduring them a little and keeping them from causing chaos is enough."

Hearing this, Changle nodded gently.

Zhao Heng smiled then, and he said to Changle and Imperial Concubine Mi, "You may return. I still need to tidy up the chaotic situation in the Northwest."

Changle Princess and Imperial Concubine Mi were both people who understood when to advance and retreat; they performed a salute and exited the great hall.

"Call Mi Yan here." Once the two had left, Zhao Heng said to Liang Cheng.

Within a few breaths, Mi Yan walked in with rapid steps.

Performing a salute, he said, "Is the Emperor's dragon body still in good health?"

"It is fine,

it was merely anger attacking the heart," Zhao Heng said, and then he likewise gave the memorial to Mi Yan to read through once.

"I did not expect that behind the chaotic situation in the Northwest of the Great Song, Dou Wei was the one who started it. Your Majesty, such conduct by Dou Wei is treason and colluding with the enemy; it deserves the death penalty," Mi Yan said sternly.

Yet, thinking of something, he sighed again, "It is just a pity that this is only Ma Jin's word, and there is no concrete evidence, so nothing can be done to Dou Wei. Moreover, since Ma Jin has defected to Western Liang, Yizhou and Jingzhou, which border Qinzhou, have become frontier regions; it is not appropriate to act rashly at this time."

Zhao Heng smiled bitterly repeatedly; it was precisely because he considered this that he forcibly suppressed his anger and let Dou Wei off.

Otherwise, he would have tried his best to take advantage of the opportunity to remove Dou Wei from his position as Prime Minister.

Besides having Xiao Pass, a majestic pass that blocks Western Liang, Qinzhou also has three other important passes.

The first is Qin Pass, known as the second most majestic pass in the world.

Through this Qin Pass, one can enter the heartland of the Great Song.

The second is Jian Pass, which leads to Yizhou and is held in the hands of the Xiao Family.

The third is Wuguan, which leads into Jingzhou and is held in the hands of the Dou Family.

Originally, these passes were considered inner passes for the Great Song and were not that important.

But now that Ma Jin has defected to Western Liang, these passes have suddenly become border passes.

Thus, he must rely on the Xiao Family and the Dou Family to guard the borders in the future.

Of course, there is also an aspect of this that is beneficial to the Imperial Court.

The energy of the Xiao Family and the Dou Family will be partially tied up.

"I have naturally considered this, which is why I chose to endure. But in my view, relying on the Xiao and Dou families is likewise not a long-term strategy. If Ma Jin can be the first, there can be a second," Zhao Heng said, pondering.

"What does the Emperor mean?" Mi Yan sensed from Zhao Heng's tone his disappointment in the powerful clans.

"At present, the only one I can rely on is the Yan Wang," Zhao Heng said. "Therefore, as Ma Yuan stated in the memorial, we shall purchase firearms from the Yan Wang, learn the training methods of the Yan King Army, and reorganize the Imperial Guard of the Great Song. Once the great army is trained, we can recover Qinzhou and restore the majesty of the Imperial Clan."

Pausing, he continued, "In this way, with a mighty army, there will be no need to fear Western Liang and Northern Di in the future, and we will also be able to suppress the powerful clans."

Mi Yan revealed a smile, and thinking of something, he deliberately said, "But by purchasing firearms and Armor from the Yan Wang on a large scale, enriching the Yan Wang, is the Emperor not afraid that the Yan Wang..."

Having said this, he did not continue.

Zhao Heng snorted; he knew what Mi Yan wanted to say.

Thus he said, "The Yan Wang also bears the surname Zhao. No matter what he does, the Great Song still bears the surname Zhao; it is still much better than having a few useless Qin Kings."

Hearing this, Mi Yan was now at ease.

Last time the Yan Wang achieved great merit, the reason he suppressed the Yan Wang was because he saw that Zhao Heng intended to have the Yan Wang and the powerful clans check each other; he had been wary of the Yan Wang.

But clearly, this matter of Ma Jin had stimulated Zhao Heng, causing him to change his mind.

Just as Zhao Heng had obscurely implied, even if the Yan Wang were to rebel in the future, this Great Song would still bear the surname Zhao.

However, the heart of an emperor is like a needle at the bottom of the sea.

He believed that Zhao Heng truly thought this way now, but whether it would change in the future, he could not be certain.

But even if it were only for three or five years, this was undoubtedly beneficial to the Yan Wang.

Thus he said, "The Emperor is wise. However, I believe that even if the Emperor decides to favor the Yan Wang, it should not be too overt in the future, and it should not be too distant toward the powerful clans either; everything only needs to be changed through subtle influence."

Zhao Heng deeply agreed; just as Mi Yan said, he would pretend that nothing had happened.

He would do what he ought to do.

Then, he remembered the Yan Wang's memorial and frowned again.

This was a long-term plan, but the current chaotic situation in the Northwest still had to be resolved.

He asked Mi Yan, "How do you think the matter of Ma Jin's defection to Western Liang should be handled? Is it war, or peace?"

"Your Majesty, the fact is already established, and Western Liang has allied with Northern Di. If we want to fight, the powerful clans will not contribute their efforts and will only waste the strength of the Imperial Clan. Although the Yan Wang's troops are formidable, it is not certain they can defend against Western Liang and Northern Di simultaneously. When the time comes and the troops are exhausted, the powerful clans will become rampant again," Mi Yan said. "Therefore, it is better to order the Yan Wang to assist Ma Han in holding Qin Pass, giving the Yan Wang and the Imperial Court time to train troops. Once the troops are ready, it will not be too late to start a war."

Zhao Heng nodded gently.

Mi Yan's words struck a chord with him.

In truth, he was a little afraid now, unwilling to easily provoke war with Western Liang and Northern Di.

After all, once a war begins, it is not so easy to control.

If things go poorly, the Great Song dynasty could be buried right then and there.

It would be better to maintain the status quo and hold the mountain passes tightly.

Once the troops are trained, he could then calmly consider other matters.

Thinking of this, he said to Liang Cheng, "Bring me brush and ink."

Liang Cheng turned and left, returning shortly with the brush and ink.

After some thought, he drafted an Imperial Edict and ordered it to be sent to Yanzhou.

……

Dou Mansion.

When Dou Wei returned to the mansion, his body was already soaked through.

While at Yanghe Hall, he had truly felt Zhao Heng's murderous intent.

This made him feel fear for the first time.

"From today on, say that I am ill and will see no one." Wiping the cold sweat from his forehead, he said to the Steward.