Huan Xi traveled through the starry night and rushed back to Guanzhong. The Battle of Tongguan was already over. He was in such a hurry that he did not hesitate to waste tens of thousands of troops, but in the end he came to nothing. However, Huan Xi did not regret it.
Don't be afraid of ten thousand, just be afraid of the unexpected. If the Qiang people are really allowed to enter the customs, the consequences will be disastrous.
Wang Meng had already dismissed his soldiers and returned to Chang'an. He, Quan Yi and others went out of the city to meet Huan Xi.
Huan Xi praised everyone at the city gate. Although Du Yu was not in Chang'an, he was recognized by Huan Xi as the prefect of Feng Yi.
Only one person was scolded by Huan Xi in full view of everyone.
Huan Xi sat on the horse, pointed the whip in his hand at Quan Yi, and scolded:
"I left you to guard Chang'an because you are known to be resourceful and prudent, but you failed to live up to my expectations and were confused!
"Tongguan is in danger, and we should mobilize all the forces in Guanzhong to rescue. Why did you recruit Han and Jie soldiers alone?
"Could it be that the Qiang and Di people are not the people under my rule, Huan Xi!"
Quan Yi hurriedly knelt down to plead guilty, but Huan Xi was so angry that he raised his whip and whipped Quan Yi hard on the back.
The beating caused the skin and flesh of Quan Wing to be torn, and he screamed repeatedly.
This scene stunned everyone present.
As we all know, Quan Yi is Huan Xi's confidant. Among his subordinates, his status is second only to Wang Meng, otherwise he would not be allowed to stay in Chang'an.
Wang Meng was the first to react. He grabbed the riding crop from Huan Xi's hand and begged.
The generals also stepped forward to dissuade him, and then Huan Xi gave up.
After getting on the carriage back to the city, Huan Xi complained to Wang Meng and said:
"Sir, how slow you are!"
But he was blaming Wang Meng for not coming to seize his riding crop earlier, causing Quan Yi to receive a few more whips.
Wang Meng has a hard time saying that you have to act on the spot and don't send someone to inform me in advance. How could I have known that this would happen?
Of course, he couldn't reply like this, so Wang Meng repeatedly apologized to Huan Xi.
Returning to General Zhengdong's Mansion, the generals and assistants gathered together, Quan Yi was injured and sat among them.
Huan Xi stood up and walked towards Quan Yi. The generals thought that Huan Xi was still angry.
Unexpectedly, Huan Xi ordered someone to unbutton Quan Yi's shirt, squatted down and caressed his back. Looking at the scars on Quan Yi's back, he choked with tears:
"Ziliang has been wronged!"
The reason why Quan Yi did not recruit Qiang and Di soldiers was to prevent them from rebelling against him in battle. Huan Xi certainly knew this truth.
But don’t do anything that is not conducive to unity.
Quan Yi's behavior is equivalent to treating Qiang and Di soldiers as outsiders.
If we guard against the Qiang and Di today and show our distrust of them, how can we expect them to serve us loyally in the future?
Huan Xi had no choice but to whip Quan Yi in public, showing that this was Quan Yi's personal behavior and not his own position, in order to appease the Qiang and Di people.
As a wise man, Quan Yi also understood that Huan Xi whipped him out of necessity.
"It doesn't matter if the subordinate can be whipped a few times if he can win the Lord's heart."
Quan Yi Zhangruo said with a relaxed smile.
Although he said this, when Huan Xi touched the wound lightly, Quan Yi grinned in pain.
Huan Xi hurriedly sent someone to ask for a doctor, then took off his shirt, shirtless, and said to everyone:
"Ziliang had no fault at all, yet he was punished by me. This is an act of unclear reward and punishment!"
With that said, Huan Xi asked for the riding whip. Under the surprised eyes of the generals, he solemnly handed the riding whip into Quan Yi's hand and said:
"Please whip me! Ziliang!"
Quan Yi's hands trembled and tears came to his eyes. He threw the riding whip away and cried:
"It was my lack of thinking that caused the Qiang and Di to become resentful. How can your lord say that I am not at fault!
"Quan Yi follows the lord and serves the Ming Lord, how can he commit the following crimes?
"Today, if my lord insists on persecuting me, Quan Yi will die!"
When Huan Xi heard this, he quickly helped Quan Yi up. The two ministers looked at each other with tears in their eyes, hugging each other and crying.
All the generals and assistants were moved by it.
After all, the atmosphere has been set up here, how can one appear indifferent.
On the same day, Huan Xi sent someone to secretly deliver a thousand bolts of silk to Quan Yi's mansion. However, this reward was kept secret and could not be made public.
Back at the Jingzhao County Palace, Li Yuan had already been taken to Chang'an from Hanzhong.
In the bedroom, mist filled the room, Huan Xi sat in the bathtub, closed his eyes, and enjoyed Li Yuan rubbing his shoulders.
"Husband, I heard that you whipped Mr. Quan in public at the city gate."
Li Yuan asked softly.
Huan Xi opened his eyes and joked:
"You are quite well-informed."
Li Yuan explained:
"When my husband met with the general at the general's residence, this matter had already spread throughout Chang'an."
Huan Xi nodded slightly and asked:
"Why did you suddenly tell me about this?"
Li Yuan advised:
"I feel that my husband should comfort Mr. Quan, so as not to chill the hearts of his generals."
Huan Xi stood up, picked up Li Yuan from outside the tub, ignored her exclamations, and sat back in the tub.
Seeing Li Yuan's silk clothes being soaked, her beautiful body was vaguely visible.
Huan Xi fought abroad for a long time. He suffered from the lack of women in the army, and he never made a special trip to find flowers and flowers. There was no caring person to imitate the Eastern Wei boxing champion and offer him beautiful women to relieve his loneliness.
After suppressing it for a long time, how could I still withstand such temptation? Huan Xi laughed loudly and said:
"When I was away in battle, I never enjoyed the tenderness. Today, even the big things are not as important as A-Yuan."
The private love talk between the two could not be known to outsiders, not because of Sui Huanxi's words.
Li Yuan was ashamed and happy. She lowered her head coyly, as if she was letting him take his pick.
Huan Xi couldn't hold it in any longer, and the whole night was full of wind and rain. It wasn't until the sky got slightly bright that the exhausted two people finally parted.
The room was in a mess, and their sweat was everywhere.
At this time, Li Yuan had already fallen asleep, and Huan Xi was also thinking about the issue of heirs.
Now he is nineteen years old, which is not unusual in future generations, but in this era, with his status and no son, it is always difficult to make his generals feel at ease.
'It's time to go to Jiangling, marry Ling Jiang (Xie Daoyun), and look for opportunities to bring back some people. '
Huan Xi thought to himself.
Previously, the Xie family had made excuses to postpone the wedding for two years, but now the time has come. Thinking about it, Xie Yi had no reason to continue delaying the wedding.
It's not like Huan Xi didn't think about taking advantage of Fu Jian's attack on Bingzhou to come out from Puban East and interfere with it.
But Guanlong is exhausted and it's time to recuperate and not fight again.
Moreover, after the expedition to Longyou, the soldiers were exhausted and in high spirits, so they had to be allowed to take a break.
Of course, the main reason is that Huan Xi only brought back 5,000 cavalry, and most of the horses were damaged.
The remaining infantry have not yet returned to Guanzhong. Even if they come back, they must be allowed to enjoy some time with their families after the long journey.
Therefore, Huan Xi was temporarily unable to interfere in the battle of Bingzhou, and he had no great intention to go eastward.
But Huan Xi is not planning to attack Hedong, which does not mean that he will not do anything.
At this time, the brothers Fu Jian and Fu Xiong were fighting with Zhang Ping. Huan Xi ordered his men to quickly send orders to Shen Jin, ordering him to take the opportunity to recruit the refugees from Hedong who had left their homes due to the military disaster.
