It was still afternoon when we left the palace.
The moment he walked out of the imperial city, Master Shen stretched his muscles, and then eagerly got on his carriage. He smiled at Jiang Sheng, who had been following him, and said, "Go home, go home, I haven't seen my daughter for a long time."
Shen Sangsang was born in the first month of the twelfth year of Hongde's reign. In the blink of an eye, she was already almost two years old.
When Shen Yi left home last time, the little girl could barely speak, but Shen Yi kept communicating with her family and learned that her daughter could basically speak.
The eldest son has just been seen at the city gate, but this daughter has not been seen for a long time.
Shen Yi and Jiang Sheng hurried back home. After returning to the door of the house, Shen Yi saw that the original plaque with the word "Shen Mansion" had been removed at some point, and four golden plaques were hung on the door. Character.
Jiangdu Bofu.
These four words were handwritten by Xie Min, the prime minister of the current dynasty, and sent to the Shen family. Lu Ruoxi took them and made a plaque.
Mr. Shen stared at the plaque and was lost in thought for a while. Then he came back to his senses and stepped into his home.
The whole family has come out of the palace now. Even Shen Heng has taken leave and is waiting for Shen Yi to come back at home. Seeing Shen Yi walking into the house, Shen Heng, who has been appointed as the head of Zhongshushe, can't help but feel embarrassed. With red eyes, he bowed and saluted: "Brother."
Shen Yi stepped forward and patted his shoulder, then smiled and said, "I'm not injured and I'm not dead, so why are you crying?"
Shen Heng's eyes were red and he cried: "After knowing that the eldest brother went deep into the Qi Kingdom, the younger brother could not sleep well all night. Later, I heard that the eldest brother was trapped in Xuzhou..."
"My little brother has never had a good night's sleep."
Shen Heng is a very emotional person. He couldn't help but choked up and said: "Brother is also a scholar. I don't know how much I have suffered in the past six months..."
The two brothers have been dependent on each other for many years and have a deep relationship. Shen Heng naturally feels sorry for his brother.
Lu Ruoxi on the side was stunned when she heard this and asked: "Husband...is trapped in Xuzhou?"
When Shen Yi led his troops deep into Xuzhou, he was besieged in Xuzhou. This matter was not a secret in the imperial court, especially a member of the Zhongshu family like Shen Heng, who could easily get access to this information.
But Lu Ruoxi was not in the court, so she didn't know.
Moreover, Shen Yi had written secret letters to the emperor and Shen Heng, asking them to keep his wife and children a secret. Therefore, until now, Lu Ruoxi only knew that her husband was leading troops to fight in the north and had repeatedly performed extraordinary feats, but he had not Don't know the specific process.
Shen Zhang also frowned and looked at his youngest son: "Didn't Yi'er lead the troops to defeat the Qi army and recover Xuzhou? How can we start talking about being trapped in Xuzhou?"
Shen Yi smiled hoarsely, patted Shen Heng on the shoulder, and scolded with a smile: "What does a big man look like, a two-ranked Jinshi, crying?"
He looked at his old father, father-in-law, and wife who were looking at him again. After coughing, he said: "There is nothing wrong with what Zi Chang said. I was indeed surrounded by Qi people in Xuzhou for a while, but the situation has always been I am in control and I am not passive.”
He glanced at his younger brother and said, "Zichang is overthinking it."
Master Lu stroked his beard and said softly, "I know that Ziheng stayed in Xuzhou for several months, but I don't know the details."
Mr. Shen raised his hands and said with a smile, "I will tell you more about it later during dinner."
After saying that, he walked past the crowd and said with a smile: "Now, I want to see my eldest daughter."
After walking around this unfamiliar home for a few times, Mr. Shen finally met his daughter whom he had not seen for a long time.
The little girl was wearing a beautiful flowered coat. She looked at the black uncle in front of her with curious eyes, then blinked and spoke timidly.
"you…"
She mustered up her courage and stuttered a little: "Who are you?"
Shen Yi's milky words made Shen Yi freeze on the spot and didn't move for a long time.
I have always had a strong personality, even when faced with hundreds of thousands of enemies.
Master Shen, who had no expression on his face, now felt a sore nose, a little aggrieved, and a little sad.
Extremely sad.
I almost cried.
In the growth process of his two children, or in their infancy and childhood, his father was basically missing. The eldest Shen Yuan was okay, he was smarter and more sensible. No matter how long they were separated, they could always scream when they saw him. From my father.
But Shen Sangsang was different. Shen Yi, her father, was almost completely absent from her memory.
Lu Ruoxi was standing next to Shen Yi. This was the first time she saw her husband like this, so she quickly stepped forward, picked up her little daughter, gently placed her in front of Shen Yi, and said softly: "This is daddy."
"Call daddy quickly."
Father and daughter connected. Shen Sangsang raised his head and looked at Shen Yi seriously. Then he staggered towards Shen Yi who was squatting on the ground, reached out and touched the latter's stubble, and shouted something.
"Daddy..."
The grievance in Master Shen's heart disappeared immediately. He picked up the little girl and laughed happily.
There is bitterness and sweetness in the world.
There is nothing more sweet than this.
………………
After spending the afternoon with his wife and children at home, the Shen family sat together for a meal again in the evening. Only then did Mr. Shen tell his family about the events of the past year.
Halfway through dinner, the whole family's attention was focused on Chen Youniang. This new daughter-in-law of the Shen family was already nine months pregnant and was expected to give birth before the New Year.
I asked some stable women in the capital to look at it, and most of them said it was a boy.
But no one can say for sure about this kind of thing.
Shen Yuan was curious now. Sometimes he would run up to his aunt and stare curiously at her big belly.
It was the twelfth lunar month of winter, and it got dark especially early. The Shen family hadn't even finished their meal, and it had already started to get dark.
After the family finished eating, it was already dark outside. Mr. Shen wiped his mouth with a handkerchief and was about to go back to the room to take a bath and rest. Lian'er hurried over and trotted over. She first looked at Shen The two elders Zhang and Master Lu immediately whispered to Shen Yi: "Uncle, Mr. Zhao is here."
Naturally, there was no one else who could come to visit at this time and whose surname was Zhao. Hearing this, Shen Yi immediately stood up and looked back at his father and father-in-law.
"Dad, father-in-law, Uncle Zhao is here. I'll go out to greet him."
Shen Zhang also stood up and said, "Let's go out together."
Master Lu pulled Shen Zhang and said with a smile, "It's enough for the juniors to go out to greet him. We'll just wait in the atrium."
Shen Yi strode towards the main door, and happened to see Zhao Shangshu walking in. Shen Yi hurriedly greeted him, cupped his hands and said: "I didn't have time to visit my uncle in the future, but let him come to the door. It's a sin..."
Zhao Changping smiled, waved his hand, and said, "You have just returned home, so naturally you should get together with your family. It is normal not to be there with me."
Shen Yi felt ashamed and said, "Senior Brother Yi An asked me to bring some Xuzhou specialties back to my uncle, but I haven't had time to deliver them to him."
When Zhao Changping heard this, he sighed slightly: "That kid is serious."
"Isn't he planning to return to Jiankang this year?"
Shen Yi shook his head: "Political affairs in Xuzhou are more difficult to deal with than in Huai'an. There are almost no officials available in Xuzhou now. There is only a polished prefect like my senior brother. The Huai'an army helps with many things, but the Huai'an army cannot do everything."
"The prefectures and counties near Xuzhou are preparing for spring plowing next year. There are many things going on, and senior brother has no time to spare."
Speaking of this, Mr. Shen said with a smile: "Originally, the second brother should have come back with me, and the second brother agreed. When I left, senior brother Yi An refused to die and insisted on letting the second brother take care of the job in Xuzhou. You can’t leave until you’re done.”
"It will probably take a few days."
Shen Yi said, "It will be almost the 27th or 8th day of the twelfth lunar month before we can get back."
Hearing these words, Zhao Shangshu suddenly
Ran breathed a sigh of relief and relaxed a lot.
Obviously, he came to see Shen Yi this time. In fact, he also wanted to ask how his little son was doing.
After all, he was very strict with his son, but he was still a father after all.
Of course, it is also possible that she was forced to come by Mrs. Zhao.
He was stunned for a while, and then said softly: "How can he help in Xuzhou? It's good if he doesn't cause trouble for Yi An."
Shen Yi shook his head slightly. He smiled and said, "Master uncle misunderstood the second brother too much. In the past half year in Xuzhou City, the second brother was responsible for the money, food and people's livelihood, and he handled it in an orderly manner."
"Second brother, when he works seriously, he is very similar to your uncle."
While the two were talking, they entered the atrium. Master Lu and Shen Zhang both stepped forward to greet the great nine ministers of the imperial court.
At this time, all the female relatives were gone, but Shen Heng was still there. He stepped forward and bowed his head in salute, calling him master uncle.
Zhao Shangshu looked at Shen Yi, then at Shen Heng, with unconcealed envy in his eyes, and said, "It's rude to bother you late at night."
Everyone in the Shen family didn't even dare to say anything.
Zhao Shangshu looked at Shen Yi and smiled: "I am here mainly to discuss some matters with Zi Heng."
Shen Yi turned sideways slightly and said to Zhao Shangshu: "Master, please, let's go to the study to talk."
After that, he led the way.
Zhao Shangshu followed him with a smile.
Shen Yi actually knew Zhao Changping's intention.
Part of the reason may be for the youngest son of the Zhao family, but more importantly, it is a political reason, which means that he, the Minister of Household Affairs, fully stands on Shen Yi's political stance and supports the Northern Expedition.
After entering Shen Yi's study, the two men sat down one after another. Zhao Shangshu got straight to the point and said directly: "The Northern Expedition has an army of 200,000 going north. According to the current money and food of the imperial court, it can probably last for two years."
He looked at Shen Yi and sighed slightly: "This time sounds long, but as the frontline coach, Zi Heng should know whether this time is long."
After the start of the national war, the seemingly long period of one or two years became less conspicuous.
After all, when Guo Rong first set his ambitions, he also said that it would take him ten years to conquer the world.
Mr. Shen frowned slightly, and after thinking for a while, he asked, "Should the grain be stored to last for two years, or should the taxes for the next two years be included and the total should be enough for two years?"
"Probably the latter."
Zhao Shangshu said softly: "Even if it is the former, there will not be much food left in two years."
"In other words, if the war lasts for more than two years, the people of Dachen and even the court will have some hard times."
What Zhao Changping means is that when the front line runs out of food, the court...
It's time to add more gifts.
This is the so-called "national power".
National strength is insufficient, and force alone is obviously not enough.
Shen Yi asked: "Isn't it enough to add the money from the Shipping Company?"
Zhao Shangshu slowly shook his head: "The income of the Shipping Department is not as much as it was at the beginning, and it is all from internal funds. Moreover, in the war, the Military Bureau also has an ordnance supervisor, as well as armor and clothes. There are many places to spend money. , not just the food and salary of the officers and soldiers."
When Mr. Shen heard this, he shook his head slightly and said nothing.
Seeing Shen Yi's silence, Zhao Changping sighed softly: "This afternoon, my uncle also went to Ganlu Hall and talked with His Majesty for half an hour. He told His Majesty this."
At this point, he changed the topic and asked.
"Zi Heng, can you reach the edge of the Yellow River in two years?"
Zhao Changping's eyes were somewhat expectant: "Two years from now, if only one province of Shandong and Henan is taken back, there will be no shortage of food."
Shen Yi thought about it carefully and said, "Next year, the food in Xuzhou should be enough for the army for a period of time. We can try to save some food. As for the uncle, where can we attack in two years..."
Mr. Shen smiled bitterly and said: "My nephew can only say, where is the hit?"
inside. "
Zhao Shangshu stroked his palm and said, "The fact that Zi Heng can say these words shows that you are still very conscious."
"You are a proud young man and have been newly knighted. It is really commendable that you can still do this."
The God of Wealth in Da Chen looked at Shen Yi quietly.
"Then... let's give it a try for two years."
