"Is this what happened that day?" The emperor closed the memorial, leaned back slightly, and gently pressed his temples with one hand to relieve the pain in his forehead. He was becoming more and more sleepy these days, but the sea of consciousness was like a bottomless pit. No matter how much time he slept, it could not fill the emptiness of exhaustion.
Liu Bei knelt on the ground before His Highness. After getting permission, he stood up and replied: "Liu Bei was trapped in Longshan that day. He was exhausted, hungry and exhausted. He only knew that King Zuo Xian's reinforcements were chasing him, and the rebel army was greatly confused and surrendered without a fight.
But when Liu Bei was trapped in battle, the barbarians were laughing in the mountains, but the soldiers could not rebuke the enemy with their mouths, could not leave the mountains with their strength, and did not know how to obtain the Baoshi Festival. Now the entire army has returned. It was all thanks to the court's careful planning and Governor Chen's ability to adapt to the situation that such a great victory was possible. "
Liu Bei was dressed in Wu Fei's imperial robes, with a tiger and turtle tail crown on his head, and a high-collared broad robe. His long career as a warrior made him very uncomfortable with this. From time to time he would lightly close his sleeves and robe, revealing his wrists with armor scars, which looked a bit funny. But among the princes and ministers in Chongde Hall, no one dared to look down upon him.
At this time, he was entering the palace for the second time to meet the emperor, and presented gifts to the emperor to report his victory. In March, he defeated nearly 200,000 thieves, which can be said to be the greatest victory since the elimination of the Yellow Turbans. The emperor was greatly pleased, and the first thing he did in court was to inform his ministers of the great victory and discuss rewards for the battle.
Regardless of Liu Bei's origins and his previous stains during the siege of the Yellow Turbans, the Dongping Army guarded Qingxu and made great achievements in the past three years, as everyone knows. In this battle, Liu Bei led his troops to fight with several times the enemy for more than a month. The rebellion of the Southern Xiongnu was put down in three months. Liu Bei can be said to have made great contributions and deserves to be called a rising star among hundreds of officials.
When the emperor heard what Liu Bei said, he couldn't help but laugh. He finally sat upright and took out the lacquer box. In the wooden box, Xu Bu Che You's head was completely unrecognizable. He couldn't imagine the demeanor of the false king when he was alive, so he closed the lacquer box again. He turned around and asked He Jin: "Suigao, you have always been responsible for the affairs of Northern Xinjiang. Liu Qing said that the imperial court planned everything carefully. How strange! I know nothing about it. But you have a special plan?"
The general who was sitting alone in the chief position was questioned in public. He Jin could not hide the embarrassment and fear in his expression. He could only walk to the palace, knelt down before the emperor and apologized, saying: "The Huns' rebellion this time was caused by the poor planning of the humble ministers, which led to the disaster. In this county, the people are waiting for food and they are dying of hunger and wailing in the same state. How dare you boast of a wonderful plan?
The quelling of the chaos in Bingzhou was all due to the dedication of Dongping Xiaowei, Xihe Prefecture, and Shangdang Prefecture. King Zuo Xian, Yu Fuluo, was grateful for the emperor's kindness. Planning the strategy is just a matter of your Majesty deploying the Dongping Army to merge. Your Majesty's words made me feel ashamed and helpless. "
He Jin went to the front to plead guilty, but it was Yuan Shao who planned all the affairs of merging the state. Everyone knew about this. Some people looked back and looked at Yuan Shao's expression, but saw that his face was as normal and he was sitting as calm as a mountain.
The emperor didn't care about this. He waved to He Jin to get up and return to his seat. He laughed at himself and said to Liu Bei: "I don't have any plans. Marquis Shen said that I would mobilize the Dongping army to join the annexation. It was just when Jian Shuo arrived at Dongping. , Liu Qing had given up his official position to go to seal, and when he asked where he was going, his younger brother Liu Deran said: "We are suppressing bandits in Mount Tai. Unexpectedly, one day later, Liu Qing crossed the Central Plains, raised troops to join the annexation, how fast he used his troops!"
As soon as this statement came out, all the officials in the Manchu Dynasty were in an uproar. It was a taboo of the court to mobilize troops without permission. In the former Han Dynasty, this matter could be punished by death and considered treason. But no one in the court mentioned this matter before. Just because the court happened to add additional transfer orders during the war, Liu Deran sent Liu Bei to the party overnight, but he also fooled him carelessly.
But what Jian Shuo saw in Dongping was real. Liu Deran had no money to pay bribes, so Jian Yong just pretended not to know. It was only a matter of time before the matter was exposed. Unexpectedly, the emperor would openly mention it at this time.
Liu Bei's expression did not change, and after three bows he replied: "Your Majesty, your Majesty is so complimentary. When the Governor of Xihe was appointed as Xihe last year, he made an agreement with Your Majesty to transfer ministers to join the annexation in February this year. However, Liu Bei was unable to make the trip because of the constant banditry from Qingxu. In March, I heard that the military situation in Bingzhou was urgent, and I knew that your majesty would mobilize his ministers to send troops soon, and the situation on the battlefield could change in an instant. Liu Bei did not dare to delay for a moment. He put national affairs first, so he privately led the troops first."
Liu Bei replied so confidently that the emperor was stunned. He knocked on his knees, glanced at His Highness the Minister, and suddenly remembered the reports that had piled up on his desk in the past two years: the stalemate in Liangzhou, the rebellion in Yuzhou, the rise of Qingxu and the Yellow Turban, the rebellion in Changsha, the Xiongnu rebellion, Zhang Ju's proclaimed emperor, Liancheng In Xingyang, Gyeonggi Province, there was also a mob riot last year. When he lowered his eyebrows and saw the good news in front of him again, the emperor couldn't help but breathed a sigh of relief. He bowed his head and raised his forehead and sighed: "It won't be like this next time."
The issue of troop deployment was lightly revealed.
Afterwards, the emperor said no more, and Situ Xuxiang and the general He Jin discussed with the ministers the post-war rewards. The discussion was as follows:
Chen Chong, the prefect of Xihe, was awarded the title of Marquis of Tingting in Tangxi. He was granted the title of Marquis of Tingting in Tangxi, with six hundred households in the town, and a reward of 500,000 yuan. Liu Bei, the captain of Dongping School, was second in meritorious service and was granted the title of Marquis of Wuyangting, with a city of 400 households and a reward of 500,000 yuan. Zhu Qi, the prefect of Shangdang, was the third in meritorious service and was awarded the title of Marquis of Guiting, with a hundred households in the city and a reward of 300,000 yuan. Dongping captain Guo Da, Shangdang Dianjun officer Lu Bu, and Bingzhou Wu Meng officer Zhang Yang were granted the title of Marquis within the Pass, with a reward of 100,000 coins, and various rewards for their officers and soldiers.
When the list of awards was handed over to the emperor for review, the emperor first erased Guo Da's name, then moved Liu Bei's credit to the first place, moved Chen Chong to the third place, added the name of Jian Shuo in the middle, and granted him five hundred households, leaving the rest unchanged. . The only person who can change the directory in such a grand manner without talking about the reasons or asking questions from the public is today.
The emperor put down the list and asked Liu Bei with a smile: "Liu Qing, what do you think of the war in Xiliang?"
Liu Bei immediately replied: "The Hu and Han people in Xiliang are mixed, and the martial arts is flourishing. It is difficult to quell it. It cannot be defeated without the efforts of several years. If your majesty wants to reject it, the Marquis of Zhuxiang is of great use. If your majesty wants to pacify it, you have to drive forward and to the left." You can't ride." The Marquis of Zhuxiang pointed to Dong Zhuo, and the Rider Zuo pointed to Huangfu Song.
However, the emperor opened Chen Chong's memorial again and shook his head and smiled at Liu Bei: "Chen Qing's intention is to recommend you to be the governor of Taiyuan and to lead the guard of the Xiongnu generals. But it is enough for him to sit in Xihe. After this battle, the Xiongnu will hardly survive. Big chaos. What I mean is that I want to transfer Liu Qing to take charge of Liangzhou affairs."
Liu Bei pondered for a moment and replied sincerely: "The Marquis of Zhuxiang has been in charge of the Third Assistant for many years, and his prestige has been deep. Now your Majesty has transferred the ministers to take charge. Although I have been blessed by heaven, I am only thirty years old and cannot hold the rank of school captain. Suddenly I have been given the title of commander-in-chief." Ren will not only disappoint the superiors and subordinates, but also cause suspicion both internally and externally. Once he fails, it will also damage His Majesty’s sanctity and make him fearful and afraid to accept orders.”
After rejecting the emperor one after another, the atmosphere in the palace became a little cold. Cao Cao knelt down behind the palace and saw the emperor's sharp eyes in the distance, and couldn't help but worry about Liu Bei. Nowadays, the emperor is by no means a tolerant king. He is anxious and suspicious, and it is common for him to throw people into jail in anger. Unexpectedly, the emperor and Liu Bei looked at each other for a long time, and he calmed down again. He sighed and asked: "Liu Qing, the rebels in the world are like insects and ants." With so many killings going on, am I really the king of Jie and Zhou?"
Liu Bei did not expect that the emperor would suddenly ask this question, and then advised: "The ministers are your majesty's ministers, but they are also the emperor's majesty. When all the people in the world see local ministers, they will see your majesty. When I am in the local area, I dare not do anything that harms your majesty's benevolence." He behaves virtuously, so he has a bad reputation.
Nowadays, the officials appointed outside the imperial court have no regard for Your Majesty's benevolence and the sufferings of the people. They impose excessive taxes and extort money. They use Guizhou heads as fish and meat and Your Majesty as swordsmen. Although Your Majesty is not the king of Jie and Zhou, but whether he is not or not, what does he have to do with the people? Therefore, when your Majesty chooses officials, you must be careful and considerate. If the people in the world can know your Majesty's benevolence, how can the thieves be wiped out? "
The emperor looked around, smiled at Zhang Rang beside him and said, "What Liu Qing said is true and honest." Then he said to Liu Bei, "Good, Liu Qing and I are so late to meet each other." He immediately rewarded Liu Bei with one hundred thousand yuan. For money, give Liu Bei a Zhongxing Sword.
He Jin originally wanted to make Liu Bei the Cavalry Commander and the commander of the Huns' Zhonglang general, but the emperor said that there was no one to take the post as the Taiyuan governor, so he promoted Liu Bei to be the Taiyuan governor and the commander of the Huns' Zhonglang general.
When the work was done, Liu Bei took a long breath, returned to the group of ministers, and immediately started the next topic.
Who will be the new governor of Bingzhou? Prime Minister Situ Xu went to the prelude and said: "Now that the Xiongnu rebellion has been suppressed, the cultivation of Xihe has been delayed, and the savings in Taiyuan have been wiped out. The only one who can be saved is Shangdang County. Such a situation is beyond what an ordinary governor can do. It would be better to set up a unified prefecture and state animal husbandry based on the stories of Youzhou, Yuzhou and Yizhou."
All the officials were convinced, and He Miao, the general on the right chariot and cavalry, asked again: "Who can be the leader?"
Grand Tutor Yuan Wei suggested: "The state herdsman is in a troubled place and is in charge of the state's plans. He needs a man of great loyalty, courage, wisdom and virtue. The imperial court previously selected Huang Wan and Liu Yu, so it is better to do so. From what I can see, It's better to reuse Huangfu Yizhen. Huangfu Yizhen first defeated the Yellow Turbans and was famous all over the world. Chen Chong and Liu Bei both joined his shogunate. He was also familiar with people's livelihood. Who else could he give up?"
But the emperor directly rejected it and replied: "No, Huangfu Song should be chosen to be in the west. I heard that he has been ill recently. When he recovers, I will order him to go out to Xiliang. Are there any other candidates?"
The officials discussed for a while, but could not come up with a suitable candidate. In the end, the emperor decided that it would be better to lack than to waste. Now that Bingzhou is in ruins, it cannot be neglected. Once a suitable candidate is found, it is not a bad idea to appoint and remove him.
Then he talked about the war in Youzhou. After the Xiongnu rebellion, the imperial court immediately sent Mengyi and Gongsun Zan to recruit troops in Youji and Jizhou. It has been three months now and they have recruited 40,000 soldiers, including 9,000 tiger warriors. They are equipped with Yecheng iron armor. They will lead the army to attack next month. Zhang Chun was promoted.
It's just that it is easy for Zhang Ju to attack Zhang Chun, but it is difficult for Wuhuan Xianbei to overcome it. If the communication between Wuhuan Xianbei and Er Zhang cannot be cut off, the two Zhangs can come back even if they are defeated overnight. The emperor named Liu Bei again and said: "When Liu Qing went to Taiyuan, he also had the responsibility of appeasing Xianbei." Liu Bei just promised.
Today's regular court meeting is extremely long. By the time the court meeting ends, it will already be two o'clock in the morning. Liu Bei walked out of the Nangong and saw the busy streets with officials and traffic. He remembered that he had not eaten all day and was feeling very empty. As usual, he could apply to rest in the outer palace. However, Liu Bei couldn't stand the gloomy atmosphere in the palace, so he decided to stay in the south of the city. After eating and drinking, he went to Lu Zhi's mansion in Luoyang to spend a few nights to prepare for the victory ceremony ten days later.
Unexpectedly, when he went out, he heard someone calling his name behind him. He turned around and saw that it was Cao Cao. The two had become familiar with each other in Luoyang ten years ago, but at that time Cao Cao was well-known in the capital, and Liu Bei was just a Youyan Ranger. Now that time has passed, the two meet again in Luoyang, but their identities are completely different from those back then.
Cao Cao stood with his hands behind his hands and smiled casually at Liu Bei: "Where did you come from and where are you going?"
Liu Bei took off his tiger hat, put on a red turban, and replied to Cao Cao: "You have to ask Ting Jian this question. I am an old soldier, how can I know this?"
But Cao Cao shook his head and laughed, pointed at him and said: "Where did you think you were? I'm asking you, Xuande, you have been in the palace for a long time. Are you hungry? A new mutton restaurant opened in Sushi last month. It’s delicious and the meat is tender, do you want to go?”
Hearing that there was something to eat, Liu Bei clapped his belly and sighed: "I never dare to eat too much in restaurants in the capital. I didn't bring any extravagant money back to the capital this time. How can I afford it?"
Unexpectedly, Cao Cao hit him with a punch and put his arms around him: "Your Majesty rewards you with five hundred thousand dollars, but you still don't have the money? I will pay for it, and you can tell me about the war in Bingzhou!"
Liu Bei admitted everything. The two laughed and talked about the recent heroes, famous horses and swords, and beautiful women in gorgeous clothes. They got on the carriage and squeezed into the crowd.
In June of the fifth year of Zhongping, Gyeonggi was still immersed in the last peace of the Han Dynasty.
(End of the second volume of Amano Cangmang.)
