"Report to Father."
"In my opinion, after the defeat in Mobei, the General, as the commander-in-chief of the three armies, has an unavoidable responsibility."
"The army rewards and punishes heavily, so I thought that I should start from the general."
"..."
"..."
Xu Yong stood in front of the ministers and talked to Emperor Zhengde.
His words convey the demeanor of a prince who puts his country first.
Emperor Zhengde sat upright behind the imperial eucalyptus, with his eyelids slightly lowered, listening to the loud voice from Xu Yong's mouth.
A look of satisfaction flashed silently under his eyelids.
"My humble opinion is that I am trying to attract others. I hope that my father will forgive me."
After a while, Xu Yong saluted Emperor Zhengde respectfully. After Emperor Zhengde nodded slightly, he slowly returned to his original position.
"My dear friends, do you have any different opinions?"
After Xu Yong returned to his original position, Emperor Zhengde slowly opened his eyes and looked at the ministers below.
After Emperor Zhengde finished speaking, several people immediately walked out of the group of ministers.
: "Your Majesty, I thought..."
: "Your Majesty, in my opinion..."
: "Your Majesty, in my humble opinion..."
All the officials will sing and I will come on stage.
The imperial study room, which was quiet for a while and could hear needles dropping, became lively again as Xu Yong came out to talk.
'It's really wonderful. , Xu Zhen stood at the forefront of the ministers and watched the disputes among the ministers with cold eyes.
In his opinion, the seemingly fair words of some ministers actually contain partiality.
If it is connected with Xu Yong's previous righteous words.
It is not difficult to see that it is just a white face and a red face.
The dispute lasted for nearly half an hour.
Nearly half an hour later.
Emperor Zhengde gently knocked on the royal eucalyptus.
Accompanied by 'winter, winter. , the sound came from the eucalyptus.
The noisy imperial study gradually became quiet.
Emperor Zhengde looked at the ministers and spoke slowly: "The decree is that the general Li Guangli was not strict in his control and failed to supervise the battle, which in turn led to the defeat of Mobei and the loss of more than 10,000 troops."
"Therefore, I will fine you three years' salary and demote you three ranks to serve as a warning to others."
"General Pi Zheng Xuanjing, for having liaison with foreign enemies and leading them to attack the stronghold, deserves death."
"Therefore, kill the nine tribes to show the world."
"General Pi Xiang Benzhong neglected his duty, causing the army to rush into battle."
"Therefore, kill the nine tribes to show the world."
"The garrison commander Hou Yanbo retreated without orders, causing the army to collapse."
"Therefore, the family property was confiscated and the family papers were exiled to serve as a warning to others."
"..."
"..."
As decrees came out slowly from Emperor Zhengde's mouth.
The defeat of Mobei has finally come to an end as far as the court is concerned.
As for whether Zheng Xuanjing really had an affair with a foreign enemy.
So is Xiang Benzhong really derelict in his duties?
Is it important to the court?
it is not important!
What is really important is that the people in the world must be given an explanation for the failure of Mobei.
In short, someone must take the blame!
In the imperial study room.
Emperor Zhengde finished speaking.
Shangguan Lu, the chief assistant of the cabinet, strode out of the queue, bowed his hands and said, "I obey the order."
At this point, there is no room for reversal in the matter.
Emperor Zhengde nodded slightly, and then slowly said: "We will discuss the remaining matters after the court tomorrow morning. Everyone except Tian Aiqing, please step aside."….
"I obey." The ministers saluted respectfully and then slowly exited the imperial study.
In an instant, only Emperor Zhengde and Tian Yichu, the Minister of Household Affairs, were left in the huge imperial study.
"Tian Aiqing, how much money does the national treasury have?"
Emperor Zhengde got straight to the point.
Tian Yichu paused for a moment, then raised his hands and replied, "Your Majesty, there are currently 4.29 million taels of silver in the national treasury."
As soon as these words came out, Emperor Zhengde couldn't help but frown slightly.
Then he waved his hand and said, "I understand, please step back."
"Yes." Tian Yichu bowed his hands again and then slowly exited the imperial study.
After Tian Yichu's figure completely disappeared from the imperial study room.
Emperor Zhengde's originally slightly frowning brows could not help but tighten in an instant.
"Four, two hundred and ninety thousand taels..." Emperor Zhengde frowned and murmured in a low voice.
If Dazhou's annual tax revenue is converted into money, it will be around 20 million taels.
Of course, if there is income, there will naturally be expenses.
The first to bear the brunt is military spending.
The cost of maintaining the military in Da Zhou every year accounts for at least more than 30% of the annual tax revenue.
And this is based on the premise that there has been no war for a long time.
In the event of war, military expenditures will be difficult to estimate.
Then there is the expense of maintaining the entire bureaucracy.
For example, officials' salaries and rewards.
For example, the repair of government offices, daily expenses, etc.
Although each pile and piece may seem inconspicuous, if summed up, it is also an astronomical number.
And it accounts for at least more than 20% of the annual tax revenue.
The next step is the expenses used to maintain people's livelihood.
For example, repairing water conservancy, repairing official roads, etc.
As long as there are no major projects, the expenditure on this part will still be as high as more than 10%.
The next most important thing is the palace expenses.
When calculated in detail, this part accounts for at least about 10% of the annual tax revenue.
These four types of expenditures alone account for more than 80% of the annual tax revenue.
It is conceivable that the imperial court spends huge amounts of money every year.
And all of this needs to be based on the premise of no war for a long time and good weather!
Such as the severe drought in Guanzhong last year and the flood in Shandong the year before last.
These two natural disasters alone caused the Great Zhou treasury to bottom out for a time!
What would have happened if Xu Yi had not provided disaster relief in time and ransacked the houses of corrupt officials such as Song Dynasty Duke Zhang Yongnian to replenish the national treasury.
At this time, Emperor Zhengde probably didn't even have more than two million taels!
Thinking about this.
Emperor Zhengde slowly raised his head and looked in the direction of Shanggu County.
His eyes were full of complex expressions.
I do not know how long it has been.
Emperor Zhengde shook his head helplessly.
...
...
At night.
When the lanterns first come on.
A three-column green-covered carriage slowly emerged from the palace.
Go straight to the Prince Jin's Mansion.
Xu Zhenduan sat on the soft carriage.
Expressionlessly, he looked through the car window at the lights of thousands of houses outside the window.
There is a faint trace of nostalgia and reluctance in his eyes.
Perhaps, no one hopes for the stability of the country more than him.
Perhaps, no one hopes more than him that the lights will remain on.
However, reality is reality after all.
With many years of military career, Xu Zhen has already smelled an extremely dangerous atmosphere from the defeat in Mobei.
That extremely dangerous aura had made his hair break out several times in the Imperial Study Room. ….
If only that was it.
Xu Zhen was afraid of everything in his life, except war, and he was not afraid of being shrouded in horse leather.
However, during the subsequent discussions in the imperial study room, he smelled the smell he least wanted to smell in his life.
It was a rotten smell that was so strong that it was nauseating.
It was an unavoidable stench that emanated from the inside out!
That breath! Disseminated from Emperor Zhengde and his ministers! Sweeping the entire Great Zhou at a rapid speed!
Inside the carriage with three green hoods.
Xu Zhen, expressionless, slowly lowered the car curtain.
As thousands of lights were cut off by thick car curtains.
A tired look slowly appeared on Xu Zhen's originally expressionless face.
'Profitable, come in droves. ,
'When something goes wrong, take the blame first. ,
Xu Zhen slowly leaned on the soft cave and murmured to himself with a tired look on his face, as if crying and laughing at the same time.
The words are over.
Xu Zhen slowly closed his eyes, and said with endless sorrow in his heart: "The country is about to perish, the country is about to perish." ,
'Then Li Ling is clearly the most suitable person in the entire court to be the leader of the reinforcements. ,
’ Because it was unprofitable, no one recommended him. ,
'The house is full of nobles, the house is full of nobles! How ridiculous! Ridiculous! ,
No matter how unbearable Zheng Xuanjing was, he would never abandon his wife, children and children far away in the capital to commit treasonous acts before the outcome of the war was clear. ,
"The whole house is full of nobles, the whole house is full of nobles! It's really shameful! It's extremely shameful!"
'O ancestors! The country is about to perish! The country is about to perish! ,
Two lines of turbid tears slowly fell from the corners of Xu Zhen's eyes, leaning on the collapse of the carriage.
I do not know how long it has been.
Three carriages with green hoods slowly passed through the bustling streets and alleys.
Crossing the majestic main entrance of the palace.
Finally, it slowly stopped in front of the Chengyun Hall of the Jin Palace.
"Your Majesty, we have arrived at Chengyun Hall."
The driver got out of the carriage and stood outside the carriage and said respectfully.
inside the carriage.
Xu Zhen, who had fallen asleep at some point, slowly opened his cloudy eyes after hearing the driver's voice.
"Alas~!"
Xu Zhen slowly sat up and sighed heavily.
Then he wiped the tears from the corners of his eyes with cold tea.
Then he walked out of the carriage as if nothing had happened and walked into the Chengyun Hall, the center of the palace.
"Everyone, please step aside."
As soon as Fang arrived at Chengyun Hall, Xu Zhen dismissed his entourage.
Then he walked alone to the study room in the side hall.
He slowly sat down on the Taishi chair behind the bookcase.
Xu Zhenduan sat on the Taishi chair and pondered for a long time.
He just stood up slowly and took out a map from the mezzanine of the bookshelf on the side.
As the map slowly unfolds and is laid flat on the bookcase.
Xu Zhen stood beside the book with a solemn face, staring at the map motionlessly.
What is drawn on the map is not a side object, it is the whole picture of the Western Region.
The Silk Road, the countries in the Western Regions, the Protectorate of the Western Regions, the Prince of Jin's Palace in the Western Regions, and the old cities of the Huns are all listed one by one.
If a large-scale rebellion occurs in the Western Regions, the efforts of several generations and nearly a century will be completely wasted.
"There must be no chaos in the Western Regions." Xu Zhen stared at the countries in the Western Regions on the map and muttered to himself: "At least, there must be no chaos within three years."
The words are over. ….
Xu Zhen raised his head and looked through the window sill at the starry sky in the distance.
Look towards the direction of Shanggu County.
For some reason, the starry sky tonight is extraordinarily bright.
I do not know how long it has been.
A sigh of deep helplessness suddenly came from the study room of the side hall of Chengyun Hall of Prince Jin's Mansion.
Xu Zhen slowly looked back at the starry sky on the window sill.
Silently return the map to its original place.
Then he silently returned to his bookcase, studying ink and laying out paper.
Xu Zhen held the Langhao pen in silence for a long time, and finally wrote slowly on the left side of the rice paper: "Jie'er personally opens the book."
As the pen in Xu Zhen's hand continued to move.
A letter home about the general trend of the world, the situation in the Western Regions, and the method of using troops was gradually completed.
Less than half an hour later.
Xu Zhen paused the Langhao pen in his hand, and his eyes solemnly wandered over the more than a thousand words written with painstaking efforts.
treat
After confirming it is correct.
Xu Zhen slowly cut out the paper with more than a thousand words written on it and immediately sealed it into an envelope.
After everything is over.
Xu Zhen's face became more serious and he mentioned the Langhao pen again.
On the other half of the rice paper, he wrote: "Yi'er personally expresses his gratitude."
As the pen in Xu Zhen's hand continued to move.
Since Xu Yi left Fan, many major events that occurred in and outside the court were written down one by one by Xu Zhen.
It naturally also contains the defeat in Mobei and the discussions in the Imperial Study Room.
Unknowingly, half of the rice paper was quickly filled with writing.
At this time, half an hour had passed since he started writing.
Xu Zhen stared at the empty rice paper and frowned slightly.
Without any hesitation, he took out another piece of white rice paper and laid it on one side of the book.
I brought up the langhao pen again and wrote on the white rice paper in detail.
When the second piece of white rice paper was covered with dense writing.
Time has arrived at midnight quietly.
Xu Zhen slowly put down the Langhao pen in his hand, and then rubbed his sore wrist.
After slowly getting up, he put the two pieces of rice paper covered with dense writing neatly into the envelope.
Finally, it is sealed with fire clay, and the whole body of the letter is smeared with beeswax, tung oil, etc.
After everything is over.
Xu Zhen put his hands together slightly and put them to his mouth.
After a few breaths, subtle whistles slowly came from Xu Zhen's mouth.
This whistle is slightly different from the one taught to Xu Yi.
But its ultimate use is the same.
After a while.
Suddenly, there was a faint sound of footsteps outside the study room of Chengyun Hall of Prince Jin's Mansion.
After a few breaths, the footsteps slowly stopped outside the study door.
"Dong...Dongdong."
A slight knock sounded slowly from outside the study door.
"Enter."
In the study room of the side hall, Xu Zhenduan sat on the Grand Master's chair and spoke slowly.
After getting the answer.
The man outside the study door gently opened the door.
Accompanied by an extremely low creaking sound.
An extremely thin black figure quietly walked into the side hall study.
"W, meet the master."
A cold female voice slowly came from the thin black figure.
Xu Zhen slowly raised his head and looked at the thin woman named 'W' in front of him. ….
Then he slowly stood up and took out two letters, one thick and one thin, from the bookcase.
Xu Zhen lowered his head slightly and stared at the two letters, one thick and one thin, for a while.
Then he raised his head and solemnly handed the thin letter to Wu.
He also ordered in a deep voice: "Give this letter to A and order him to send this letter to the Western Regions as soon as possible and hand it over to the Crown Prince himself."
Wu's face straightened when he heard this. After taking the letter with both hands, he bowed and said, "Wu obeys the order!"
The words are over.
Xu Zhen's expression suddenly became extremely serious.
"You, Yi, Ding, Geng, and Xin will escort this letter together." Xu Zhen handed the thick letter in his hand to Wu with great solemnity.
Wu couldn't help but tremble slightly when he heard this. In his impression, the Shitiangan secret guards were the last line of defense to protect Xu Zhen's safety.
Not to mention six people being dispatched at the same time, even the number of three people being dispatched at the same time was very rare.
But now, for a letter, five Tiangan secret guards were dispatched to escort it at the same time.
The importance of this letter can be imagined.
For a moment, the secret guard Wu Zhi felt that the second letter in his hand was as heavy as a thousand pounds.
After the secret guard Wu received the letter.
Xu Zhen ordered in a deep voice: "This letter must be handed over to King Yan personally. If something cannot be done, please do it as soon as possible."
Destroy this letter, do you understand? "
"Wu understands." The secret guard Wu subconsciously shook the letter in his hand, then bowed and saluted solemnly: "Master, please rest assured, we would rather die to live up to the trust entrusted by the master."
Xu Zhen shook his head slightly and said, "I'll wait until you come back alive."
Dark Guard Wu's body trembled slightly again, then he slowly saluted and left.
After the figure of Dark Guard Wu completely disappeared from the study.
Xu Zhen still stared at the direction where Dark Guard Wu disappeared, unable to regain his consciousness for a long time.
For Xu Zhen, whether it is the Wenxin Hundred Guards given to Xu Yi, or the Twelve Earthly Branches Secret Guards who stay in the Western Region to secretly protect the safety of his two sons.
Or the ten-day secret guard who is always guarding him.
These people are all his darlings, and every missing person will make him heartbroken.
God knows how much energy and material resources he has spent over the past twenty years in order to train these secret guards.
I do not know how long it has been.
Xu Zhen gradually came back to his senses, sighed and slowly sat down on the Taishi chair.
His eyes were looking at the sky outside the window through the half-open window sill.
I don’t know since when, dark clouds blocked the originally bright starry sky.
The night seemed to get darker from this moment on.
As time passes quietly.
Thousands of lights in the streets and alleys of Chang'an City gradually faded into the thick night.
In the stillness of the night.
Several black figures silently shuttled through various shops.
Then, with the help of the thick darkness of night, he completely disappeared.
This night, I don’t know how many undercurrents flowed slowly in this thick night.
...
...
A night of silence.
At Mao hour the next day.
When a ray of golden glow appeared on the eastern sky.
The Jinluan Hall of the imperial palace was already filled with civil and military officials.
As the figure of Emperor Zhengde slowly appeared in the Jinluan Hall.
The morning of the day officially kicked off.
Of course.
The strange thing is that neither Emperor Zhengde nor the dozen or so officials who discussed matters in the imperial study room took the initiative to mention the defeat in Mobei this morning.
The boring morning gradually came to an end amid clichés.
own time.
Emperor Zhengde slowly left the Jinluan Palace with the support of the eunuch Zhan Zhu.
It's half time.
Yesterday, the dozen or so officials appeared in the imperial study room again.
As the imperial study room door slowly closed.
The small court meeting started again.
The Umrah meeting that I got up in the middle of the day lasted until dusk before it came to an end.
It was like this every day for the next two days.
It is not until September that the chapter is completely turned over and the Umrah meeting is finally concluded.
...
...
October 1, the 30th year of Zhengde.
Several imperial edicts were like boulders falling into a calm lake, causing waves of turmoil in Chang'an, the capital.
The first thing to bear the brunt was the defeat of the army in Mobei, with more than 10,000 soldiers lost.
General Pi Zheng Xuanjing liaised with foreign enemies and led them to attack the stronghold, which led to the defeat of Mobei and the execution of nine tribes.
General Pi Xiang Benzhong neglected his duties, causing the army to rush into battle and kill the nine tribes.
Hou Yanbo, the captain of the garrison cavalry school, retreated without permission, which resulted in the defeat of the army, the confiscation of his family's property, and his family's exile.
General Li Guangli was punished for his lax control of his subordinates and unfavorable supervision of battles. He was fined three years' salary and demoted to the third rank.
The second thing is that the imperial court issued another proclamation. After lamenting the many injustices of the Xiongnu, the imperial court sent troops again!
Li Ling, the left Shaoqing of Dali Temple, was ordered to be the general of the Northern Conquest! Lead 5,000 infantry and 3,000 cavalry to reinforce Mobei!
Order the border kings from various places, except Yan King Xu Yi, to send five thousand troops each to go deep into Mobei to encircle and suppress King Zuogu Li of the Xiongnu! .
Ice tea is always there
