Beijing, moonlit night.
The little eunuch on duty and the patrolling guards walked tirelessly back and forth in the huge palace to ensure that everything in the Daqi Center was normal.
It was a bright place, and in the dark, Qingtian, Jiahai, Lanyue, and Zhaixing each stayed in their hidden positions, breathing very lightly, quietly enduring the long night.
Zhao Yizhi was sitting in the royal study, listening to the footsteps outside and the sound of bangs at the watch clock. No one knew what was going on in his mind.
In fact, whether it is the eunuchs outside, the imperial guards, or even Chen Congwei, they have limitations in patrolling and exploring the palace. Zhao Yizhi is now sitting in the royal study. Not to mention seeing it with his spiritual consciousness, he can even hear every move in the entire palace and even the capital.
With a "squeak" sound, the door of the imperial study room was opened from the outside, and Wang Zhenliang walked in gently: "Your Majesty, it's time to sleep..."
Zhao Yizhi raised his head, looked at Wang Zhenliang and asked: "Manager Wang, when did you know that the emperor of Daqi could not leave Jinling City?"
When Wang Zhenliang heard Zhao Yizhi ask about this, he muttered that he didn't know what to say. He would never dare to let Zhao Yizhi leave.
"It's okay, I just asked." Zhao Yizhi noticed Wang Zhenliang's nervousness and said softly.
"Replying to Your Majesty, old slave... I heard the late Emperor and the Queen Mother talk about this matter when Your Majesty was born twenty years ago..." Wang Zhenliang had no choice but to answer truthfully.
"Oh?" Zhao Yizhi became interested: "How did you say that?"
Seeing Zhao Yizhi's appearance, Wang Zhenliang knew that it would be impossible if he did not explain it clearly today, so he had to say: "The late emperor was suffering from a slight illness at that time, so he asked the Queen Mother to inform His Majesty of the matter after he ascended the throne..."
"Then why didn't the Queen Mother say anything?" Zhao Yizhi blinked, confused.
"After the death of the late emperor, the Queen Mother went to a group of senior ministers in the court and asked if there was any way to solve the problem. Many senior ministers looked around for solutions, but... there was no news. Later, the Queen Mother saw that His Majesty was only having fun in the court, so she was afraid of mentioning it. This matter would make His Majesty want to leave the capital, so he kept suppressing it and did not allow me to tell His Majesty."
Zhao Yizhi thought of the kind old man who saw the Queen Mother that night, his eyes full of doting, and couldn't help but clenched his fists.
"The Queen Mother is kind... I don't want to cause more trouble..." Zhao Yizhi's eyes dimmed. The three princes have all left, and all the old ministers in the court have withered away. Even if there are some old ones left, they are all magistrates and magistrates. How can they know about such a big event?
"Manager Wang, do you know when the capital of Anxi was?"
"Your Majesty...it's...Fengcheng." Wang Zhenliang answered carefully. When Zhao Yizhi asked about such an ordinary thing again, Wang Zhenliang felt like he was back to the time when His Majesty was recovering from a serious illness a few years ago.
At that time, Zhao Yizhi was like a newborn, and he didn't even know much about the eight vassal kings in Daqi.
"Yes...Fengcheng. But did you know? Fengcheng...was captured by Beiyi half a month ago." Zhao Yizhi's tone was a little low, and there was a sense of powerlessness in his words.
"What...what..." Wang Zhenliang was so shocked that his mouth opened. Fengcheng was destroyed. He naturally understood what this meant. This matter was much more serious than the feudal king's rebellion.
The northern territory of Daqi was guarded by three vassal kings. When Daqi was first established, the first generation of vassal kings showed their determination to defend Daqi, so they chose their respective capitals in the far north, directly bordering Beiyi. .
But now... Anxi's capital has been destroyed...
"Your Majesty, this matter...this matter is not trivial..." Wang Zhenliang also had no idea. He was a housekeeper, and he was really helpless about such a big matter.
Zhao Yizhi stood up and left the imperial study, and walked towards his palace, Qiyang Palace: "Early tomorrow morning, the news of Fengcheng's destruction will reach the capital. Let's talk about it tomorrow..."
Wang Zhenliang looked at Zhao Yizhi's back and felt inexplicably distressed.
Whether it is government affairs or decision-making, he can be regarded as quite satisfactory, and when he took down Grand Master Li Changwen, he acted so vigorously and resolutely, which is enough for him to be a loyal king.
But what he did was not only to maintain the status quo, he overthrew the powerful Grand Master Li Changwen, promoted Yi Xiaodao from a beggar, handled all the affairs of the court one by one, completely delegated power to Zhou Ziru... many such things, ordinary It is simply difficult for people to do it.
What's even more difficult is that he finally met a woman who was attracted by his heart, but in the end... Although Wang Zhenliang has been in the palace since he was a child, he has read all about the world, and he can still understand the feeling of being within reach but disappearing.
Now, the Central Plains has just been pacified, and Beiyi has captured Fengcheng again...
"By the way, Peng Baby, the Princess of Sichuan and Sichuan, heard that she went out to relax. How is she doing now?" Zhao Yizhi turned around and asked. Although he has spiritual knowledge and can see the world, he is not interested in everything. For ordinary things, it is easier to ask Wang Zhenliang.
When Wang Zhenliang saw Zhao Yizhi asking, he hurriedly followed him: "Your Majesty, Princess Peng... has become a nun..."
Zhao Yizhi paused a step and resumed walking as usual: "That's fine, otherwise I don't know how to arrange her. Letting her continue to return to Sichuan will only add to the sadness..."
Under the moonlight, the master and the servant continued walking, silently all the way.
Early the next morning, Zhao Yizhi was already sitting in the Hall of Supreme Harmony, waiting for the ministers to go to court.
The ministers chatted and laughed when they arrived at the Hall of Supreme Harmony. They hurriedly trotted to their seats. They were all full of doubts. Did they get the wrong time?
More and more ministers came to the hall one after another, and the ministers who arrived first felt a little more at ease. The law does not blame everyone, let alone one who came first.
The ministers who arrived later were even more panicked when they saw that Zhao Yizhi was already sitting on the dragon throne. They quickly knelt down in the main hall, not daring to raise their heads. Until the little eunuch came over, picked up these ministers one by one, and helped them aside.
Soon, all the ministers had arrived, and it was just time for the morning dynasty.
"Your Majesty, why did you go to court so early today?" Zhou Ziru became the new head of the officials, so he was naturally the first to speak.
Zhao Yizhi raised his head and looked at the ministers, and said: "The Northern Yi conquered Fengcheng in Anxi half a month ago. I want to discuss this matter with all my dear friends this morning."
"Ah! Fengcheng was attacked by Beiyi?"
"Even Fengcheng has been attacked, will they attack the capital?"
"Hush, Mr. Li! You have lost your manners! Be careful!"
The whole court was in an uproar. Many civil and military ministers felt like they heard a bolt from the blue and didn't know what to do.
"Report to your Majesty, the urgent military situation coming from Anxi!" A message was passed from outside the palace to the Hall of Supreme Harmony.
"Send it over." Zhao Yizhi said softly.
Soon, a letter of military information was passed from outside the palace gate to the main hall.
Zhao Yizhi signaled Wang Zhenliang to read aloud: "Memory: Fengcheng, the capital of the Anxi vassal, was captured by the Beiyi on May 12, the seventh year of Qingguan. The Anxi army suffered more than 30,000 casualties and lost 200,000 people. Ancheng Report to the county magistrate."
Wang Zhenliang had just finished reading, and the whole court was silent. There was no more noise. Everyone lowered their heads, not knowing what they were thinking.
"Everyone, what should we do now?" Zhao Yizhi asked loudly.
"Your Majesty, I believe that it is a top priority to immediately mobilize troops from Beidi and Dingliao vassals to recapture Fengcheng!"
"Master Zhang, what you said is wrong. It has been more than half a month since Fengcheng was destroyed. If the imperial court orders it again, it will take a full month. How can we get it back? What's more, the three kings of the north have always been watching and helping each other. Now that Fengcheng has been destroyed, it is urgent to send troops. Reinforce the other two vassals!"
"Your Majesty, after years of fighting, the national treasury is empty, and there is no more money or food to send troops to conquer! It is better to send envoys to the Northern Yi, so that the two countries can be repaired, rest and recuperate, and then make plans!"
The ministers all expressed their thoughts, but each of these proposals was more conservative than the last. If they continued, they might have to cede territory and pay compensation.
Zhao Yizhi looked at Zhou Ziru: "What do you think of Prime Minister Zhou?"
Zhou Ziru cupped his hands and said, "Back to Your Majesty, Rong Chen wants to ask a few questions."
Zhao Yizhi nodded slightly and stretched out his hand to indicate.
Zhou Ziru turned around and looked at Wang Sihong, the Secretary of the Ministry of Household Affairs: "I dare to ask Mr. Wang, the imperial court has been fighting for years, but it has also confiscated many assets, money and food of King Xiang of Chu and King Xigui, not to mention, the people in the rich land Nanhuai's taxes have been paid directly to the court for two years, where are these taxes now?"
When Wang Sihong saw Zhou Ziru attacking him, his heart beat wildly for a moment, and he hesitated: "Taxation... Sichuan, Shu and Xigui are fighting very hard, and taxes need to be reserved to be allocated to the two places to help people's livelihood..."
"Except for Rongcheng and Bincheng, there are no wars in many other cities in Sichuan and Shu, and Xigui has never been in war. Do we need two years of taxes from Nanhuai to fill it?" Zhou Ziru asked aggressively.
Wang Sihong lowered his head. He had been suppressing the money and food from the treasury for this reason before and never used it. In the final analysis, Cheng Pingshi, who was sent by Xigui, threatened his son, but who knew that Xigui would die in a blink of an eye, which was very painful for him.
Zhao Yi stared at the proud disciple of Grand Tutor Chen Song, feeling a little unbearable for a moment. He also knew that Cheng Pingshi and others from Xigui paid visits to many ministers. Fortunately, many ministers only agreed verbally and did not provide much support to Xigui.
For example, Wang Sihong only detained the money and grain in the treasury and never used it. If there is a stalemate with Xigui, the situation may be difficult to say, but Xigui loses too quickly, so it won't have any impact.
"Master Wang, we will make a careful calculation after the next court. If there are some unnecessary things, such as celebrations, they should be avoided. As for the amount of money and food required, we will check with the Ministry of War later." Zhao Yizhi said. Help Wang Sihong out of trouble.
Wang Sihong felt as if he had been granted amnesty and quickly knelt down on the ground: "Thank you... Thank you for your advice. I will do the calculation immediately! Do the calculation immediately!"
When Zhou Ziru heard that His Majesty had shown mercy, he didn't go into detail. He glanced around the court. The people he saw all lowered their heads and did not dare to look at them.
Zhou Ziru coughed twice and said: "My lords, Mr. Wang has read the military information and reiterated it in its true form. Please listen carefully: Beiyi is coming!"
