The next morning, Jiang Tao, Liu Dong, and Xia Baosong came to Peng's Mansion together, carrying some tea snacks, braised pork and other gifts in their hands. With the family background of the three poor scholars, they certainly could not afford any expensive gifts, but they did not want to be apprentices.

Empty-handed, no one really cares how much money they spent or what they bought, as long as they have this intention.

Su Chen smiled and said, "Master Peng has gone to court in the morning. When he comes back, you can worship him as your disciple."

The three of them nodded, their expressions a little reserved and uneasy. After all, they were all scholars from poor families. They were already helpless in Jinling City and were about to be penniless. They put all their hopes on Qiu Wei, but the road to the imperial examination was so difficult with thousands of troops.

The horse crossed the single-plank bridge, and in the end the number of people who passed the imperial examination was less than a hundred, which was really difficult.

Even if you pass the Jinshi exam, but fall on the third-level list, you will be idle, waiting for the position of a court official to fill. If you don't pay gifts, don't give money, and don't know the connections, you will probably be delayed in the capital for many years.

Unable to take up any errands.

Therefore, if the three of them can become disciples of Jiangning Prefecture Yin today and have a patronage relationship, they will be one step closer to Su Chen. In the future, they will advance and retreat from the alliance and share weal and woe. Only then will they be able to help in the Tang Dynasty's imperial examinations and official career.

and acknowledgment.

Jiang Tao smiled and said politely: "I understand, I'll just wait at home for Master Peng to come back."

Xia Baosong suddenly thought of something and said, "I heard that the envoys from the Song Dynasty entered Jinling City yesterday, and today the envoys are going to meet with the officials. The Tang State is currently afraid of the Song Dynasty, so I guess the officials will definitely receive them that day."

Hearing this, Jiang Tao sighed with emotion: "Well, the Song State is now constantly sending troops to encroach on the southern vassal states? Nanping? Jingchu has been annexed by the Song Dynasty one after another, and now it is attacking the Shu State? It won't take long? Our Tang State will also face the Song Army.

Violation!"

Liu Dong said from the side: "As the ancients said, the lips are dead and the teeth are... cold? When the Shu Kingdom encounters a crisis, if our Tang and Tang... the Tang Kingdom does not send troops to rescue? Then? When the time comes, the Song Army will attack our Tang Kingdom.

, and no one will come... to rescue me."

Liu Dong's article is well written and his knowledge is solid. But he is a bit speechless? He always gets stuck and stutters when speaking, which makes his originally well-founded words lose their own strength.

Jiang Tao asked Su Chen, "Master Su, what do you think? Can the officials send troops to rescue Shu?"

Su Chen shook his head and said with a bitter smile: "A few years ago, our Tang state was frightened by the army of the Later Zhou Dynasty and lost the thirteen states in Jiangbei. All its elite soldiers were exhausted and the treasury was empty. It never regained its strength. First, it lacked the courage.

To rescue the Shu army? To have a head-on confrontation with the Song army. Secondly, the Tang State cannot withstand the torment now and cannot fight a war."

"But then we just watch the Shu Kingdom perish and the Tang Kingdom does nothing?" Xia Baosong asked in confusion.

"It is better to save ourselves than to save others. The Shu Kingdom is not without troops. The Chengdu Prefecture's imperial army and local troops add up to 200,000 Shu troops, and they are waiting for work. As long as everyone works together, pay attention to it, and defend key fortresses, they can still survive for one or two days.

years. Secondly, win over San Francisco in the northwest

With the help of the generals, the Zhefu Army, and the Northwest Army, the Song Army can be contained. Then as long as the Tang Army is in the west and lets General Lin Renzhao show off to the Song Army as if it is sending troops, the Song Army may be able to retreat in the face of difficulties. These three steps,

Both are indispensable, but the key is whether the people of Shu can resist it on their own first..."

Su Chen saw that there was no one else here, just three scholars, so he said what he was thinking directly, which was a bit more advanced than his proposal to Prince Meng Xuanyu of Shu.

At this moment, the sound of clapping came from outside the hall, and Peng Zeliang left the morning court and hurried home.

Peng Zeliang said with emotion: "Yixuan's several strategies, linked together, can indeed bring Shu back to life. It's a pity that no one in the court of Shu can think of them, and whether they can be implemented is unknown. In the end, they will not be able to escape being swallowed up by Song Dynasty."

The ending.”

"I've met Mr. Peng!"

When Jiang Tao, Liu Dong, and Xia Baosong saw Peng Fuyin returning, they hurriedly stood up and saluted, looking reserved.

Peng Zeliang glanced at the three Imperial College students, nodded slightly, and said with a kind smile: "They are all here."

Jiang Tao has a sharp tongue and is good at this kind of communication. He cupped his hands and said: "If you go back to the mansion, Mr. Yin will come to visit you today. I want to appoint Mr. Peng as my disciple. I beg Mr. Peng to accept me, teach you, solve doubts, and guide your disciples."

.”

Peng Zeliang had already heard Su Chen mention it last night, so he didn't feel surprised. He stroked his beard and nodded, saying: "Yixuan has told me about the situation and life experience of you and the other three. He is completely innocent.

I have said that your character and knowledge are all selected. Yixuan is still young and not suitable to be your disciple, so this role will be played by me, and I will accept you three disciples today."

"Thank you, Master Peng!"

"Are you still called Master Peng?"

"Thank you, teacher!" The three of them saluted respectfully.

Then came the apprenticeship ceremony and process. Peng Zeliang sat at the main seat, and the three of them knelt down respectfully to serve tea.

After drinking tea, Peng Zeliang smiled and nodded, formally recognizing the three disciples.

From then on, the relationship between Jiang Tao and Xia Baosong with the Peng Mansion, Peng Zeliang, and Su Chen became closer.

Peng Zeliang led the four of them to the study room and explained to his uncle and his three disciples the power of the political parties in North Korea and China.

"You are about to participate in the Qiu Dynasty. With your talents and learning, it is very likely that you will pass the imperial examination, and you will also enter the official career in the future. I would like to mention to you today that there are currently three factions in the imperial court. You should keep them in mind. In the future, you will meet some

Imperial officials also know in their hearts whether he is an enemy or a friend."

Peng Zeliang was interested, and planned to explain the situation between the DPRK and China to these four young people, so that they would not act recklessly, speak indiscriminately, and be unable to distinguish between friends and foes. If you want to enter the official career, you must first understand what many officials are.

camp, otherwise, if someone secretly stumbles you, you may not even know why.

"It makes sense, please ask the teacher to clarify your doubts!" ​​Jiang Tao said in agreement, cupping his hands.

Peng Zeliang explained: "At present, there are three major forces in the DPRK: the Song Party, the Sun Party, and the New Party. The Song Party is based in Jiangbei, and they are all Jianghuai people. Before Jiangbei was lost, the Song Party gradually grew bigger. Ten years ago, the Song Party

The reason why the "Five Ghosts" are rampant and highly valued is because of geopolitical relations."

"That was their territory, and the relationship was complicated. However, after their chaos, the Tang State was at war with other states, losing troops and generals, wasting a lot of military pay, and finally the fall of Jiangbei, which led to our Emperor Yuanzong's death. One year before his death, the Song Party was

Some of them were punished, some were exiled, and some were suppressed.”

"Now the power is far less than before. They already supported the emperor's younger brother, King Li Jingsui of Jin. But then the King of Jin was killed, and the people of the Song Party lost their supporters. On the surface, they were loyal to the official family, but secretly they were very close to a few princes.
Chapter completed!