The war situation in Yedu is particularly worrying for the Tokyo court. Since ancient times, the city has been besieged and stalemate for a long time, which is not a good thing for both sides. From the Han court's point of view, they were afraid that something unexpected would happen and the Ye soldiers in the city would take advantage of it, leading to defeat.
This kind of thing is not without precedent. At the end of the Tang Dynasty, Emperor Li Congke was sitting in the city of Jianchou, but he turned defeat into victory and even went to Luoyang to seize the throne. Of course, it was Li Conghou who sought his own death. He was a child holding a gun, and was deceived by mediocre officials. He acted too hastily, which led to his defeat. There is no comparison between the two.
However, the princes in the court were obviously a little nervous because of Murong Yanchao's defeat. More importantly, they do not want this war to be a protracted one, and the national treasury cannot afford it. Moreover, the bad news about the war spread, which was really a stressful test for the big man.
Of course, in Liu Chengyou's view, the situation was far less dangerous than the court officials imagined. They were frightening themselves. From the battle reports from the front and private messages from Guo Rong who was on the front line, it can be seen that the situation in Yecheng is basically firmly in the hands of the Han army. Although the attack is weak, Du Chongwei cannot make any splash. Gao Xing and Zhou Laocheng are prudent and it is the right thing to use him as a commander.
But Murong Yanchao...
When it comes to Murong Yanchao, the only person in the court who feels most embarrassed is probably Emperor Liu Zhiyuan himself. He was really a little angry towards his younger brother, and he completely failed to understand his intention of assigning him the deputy position of Gao Xingzhou.
In front of the formation, he jumped up and down and disturbed the morale of the army. Not long ago, he sent a secret report to Beijing to impeach Gao Xing and Zhou Yongbing to respect themselves and asked the court to make preparations in advance. If Liu Zhiyuan was really stupid and was bewitched by him, the country would probably go downhill after half a year.
However, Murong Yanchao still ignored him and only asked people to warn him. At the same time, he issued an edict to encourage and comfort Gao Xingzhou. The emperor's face is really unreasonable sometimes.
In fact, in the final analysis, the problem in Yedu is still a problem of the general and the arrangement of the court. However, after such a struggle, the vigor of the Han soldiers under the city was almost exhausted. At this point, even changing the commander could not solve the problem.
Fortunately, even if the war in Yedu was unfavorable and there was little progress, the court's support did not decrease. From Tokyo, a large amount of military supplies were still transported north through the canal. At the same time, Liu Zhiyuan did not micro-manage the front line and urge siege operations from hundreds of miles away.
No matter how anxious the war is on the front, life in the rear has to be carried on, and no matter how careless it is, the Mid-Autumn Festival cannot be ambiguous. Leaning on the railing and looking into the distance, Liu Chengyou returned home after having enough of the cold wind and wiping his red nose.
At this time, the palace of Prince Zhou was busy, with servants filling the courtyard and decorating the pavilions. Following Liu Chengyou's instructions, it was not extravagant. However, it was a festival after all, and if it was reduced, the palace's pomp would still have to be a little more pompous. The joy in the house diluted the seriousness on Liu Chengyou's face.
"Your Highness, you are back." Mr. Geng, dressed in light-colored clothes, personally welcomed Liu Chengyou into the hall.
As Liu Chengyou's only concubine so far, she swayed around the house as a mistress.
"Let Granny Li and the stewards of the mansion do these things, why do you need to do it yourself?" Liu Chengyou said.
"It doesn't matter." Mr. Geng smiled, his beautiful eyes almost melting with autumn.
He reached out and gently touched her belly. Liu Chengyou held her hand and led her into the flower hall.
Probably in the past, they were keeping a low profile and working hard to create people. Not long ago, Geng was found to be pregnant. This is a big event and has special meaning to Liu Chengyou and the emperor and empress in the palace. The children in Geng's belly, regardless of gender, are the first grandchildren of Liu Zhiyuan and Li.
Children are another plus point for Liu Chengyou.
The eldest brother Liu Chengyou is much older than Liu Chengyou. He is twenty-five or six years old, but he does not have a single daughter under his knees. He married a wife very early and had several concubines, but none of them were pregnant, so people had to suspect that something was wrong with his body.
And Geng's pregnancy caused this problem even more in the previous episode. Then, the debate about the successor broke out again, but this time, some smart people came up with a good way to "get the best of both worlds". Liu Zhiyuan decided on the alliance system, and the throne was passed on from brother to brother.
It sounds like a good idea. It not only perfectly resolves the ongoing dispute over the reserve position, but also maintains the stability of the country. At the same time, it also avoids the situation where the master and the young are in doubt and the country is unstable. It is simply a matter of one move. So much...
However, if you think about it a little deeper, you will realize how unreliable it is. Liu Zhiyuan passed on Liu Chengxun, Liu Chengxun passed on Liu Chengyou, Liu Chengyou passed on Liu Chengxun? Who is Liu Chengxun passing on?
It simply cannot withstand scrutiny. Under normal circumstances, brother-in-law is definitely a recipe for disaster. This is what Ma Chu from Hunan did. With a living example in front of him, he came up with the allusion of "five horses competing for the slot". Ma Xifan died in June, and now the two brothers Ma Xiguang and Ma Xi'e are at war with each other.
The ministers who suggested writing this article into the ancestral system were either stupid or had ulterior motives and should be killed.
In the hall, there are also colorful banners hanging and autumn flowers arranged, which is particularly elegant. After sitting down, Mr. Geng took a plate of pastries from his maid, cleaned her hands in a bowl, picked up a piece, and fed it to Liu Chengyou's mouth: "Erlang, this is the newly made sweet-scented osmanthus cake. Try it."
Liu Chengyou glanced at it. It was square, bright yellow, and looked very good. It exuded a crispy fragrance. It was not big and could be held in one mouthful.
"How about it?"
"good."
Although Liu Chengyou's reaction was not positive enough, it was recognized. Geng's smile also spread and his eyebrows slightly curved.
"Get ready, come with me to the palace for the banquet tonight." After resting for a moment and taking a sip of water, Liu Chengyou said to Mr. Geng.
"Yes!" The jade face was filled with joy.
Seeing Li Chongju commanding the servants of the palace in the court, Liu Chengyou thought of something and called him to ask: "Have the things been sent to all the palaces?"
"According to your instructions, it has been delivered at the twelve o'clock." Li Chongju bowed and replied.
During the Mid-Autumn Festival, human exchanges are inevitable. Previously, Liu Chengyou ordered dozens of gift boxes to be sent to the houses of courtiers who were close to Liu Chengyou. Of course, the most important ones were his old subordinates. The gifts are not valuables, just seasonal fruits and products. They are given with sincerity and no one cares about gossip.
In the evening, after tidying up, Liu Chengyou took Geng to the palace for the banquet. The palace was also decorated with lanterns and colorful decorations, but only for Renming Hall. Due to the difficult national situation, Li did not make any big plans at Li's suggestion. He just called Liu Chengxun and the brothers to have a family banquet. He issued an edict to encourage the ministers of civil and military affairs and distributed some autumn food from the palace.
To be honest, the emperor Liu Zhiyuan's behavior was very mediocre. He may not have been kind to the people, but he was quite self-disciplined and basically did not behave extravagantly. In terms of governance, he can be considered diligent. However, in his hands, the country is still like a giant with feet of clay, and it is difficult to move forward.
In the final analysis, it is still a matter of employment, and Liu Zhiyuan is not active in streamlining administration and eliminating shortcomings.
In the court, the generals and ministers of the "Hedong Clan" were constantly fighting. During the Mid-Autumn Festival, the emperor's family all celebrated the Qing Jian Festival, and many of the ministers outside were "celebrating the festival", gathering friends, drinking and playing with the moon in the mansion, which was very lively. Especially Su Fengji and Shi Hongzhao.
It was a family dinner, Liu Zhiyuan and his wife, Liu Chengxun's three brothers, plus the only daughter Princess Yongning and her husband Song Yanwo, and Liu Chengyun, the adopted son, there were nine people in total.
Geng was wearing the attire of a married woman. After becoming pregnant, he was named the Lady of Jin by Liu Zhiyuan. Wearing light makeup and feeling a little embarrassed, Ms. Li called her over to chat with Liu Chengyou's sister-in-law and sister. Mother values her son, and Li clearly cares deeply about Geng, and keeps telling her in private.
As for the brothers Liu Chengxun, they gathered together to drink and chat. Liu Chengxun's body seems to have almost recovered, at least it can't be seen from the outside, except that he coughs twice from time to time.
Until Liu Zhiyuan arrived, he was obviously in a bad mood recently, but he forced a smile and didn't say much. He just said: "The national situation is uneasy, keep everything simple, don't be too poor."
"Don't dare."
"Our family hasn't been together like this for a long time." Mrs. Li sighed.
When the family is together, they don't deliberately talk about palace rules, there are not so many restrictions, just like ordinary people, they can feel the warm atmosphere among relatives during the chat.
Two palace men brought a piece of cake together, which looked like a full moon. They called it "small cake", but it was actually a moon cake. The biscuits are not small, and Ms. Li cooks them herself. The whole family eats them separately. The taste is not too special, but the flavor and atmosphere are what they eat.
After a few glasses of wine, the atmosphere relaxed completely. He began to talk more, and Liu Chengyou's expression was much richer than usual.
Liu Chengxun was a little anxious when drinking. His sister-in-law sat next to him and tried to persuade him in a low voice, but she couldn't help it. The eldest sister-in-law does not look like a peerless beauty. She comes from a small family, but she has a gentle temperament, a virtuous person, and is very popular with her.
Probably feeling something in his heart, Liu Chengyou couldn't help but advise Liu Chengxun: "Brother, drink less."
Liu Chengxun also smiled at Liu Chengyou and waved his hand: "It's okay, I'm happy to celebrate the festival today. Erlang, I'd like to toast you a drink for my brother..."
Liu Chengxun was also holding something back in his heart during these days. The matter about his heir was quite sad.
Liu Chengyou agreed and drank it all in one gulp. The wine is newly opened and aged, with a mellow taste and a slightly sweet taste.
After wiping his red face, Liu Chengyou took the initiative to pay respects to his brother-in-law Song Yanwo. The boy Liu Chengxun was let go of control, and he even drank with Liu Chengyun. After a few drinks, he became drunk and leaned on his adopted brother. The atmosphere in the banquet room was always cheerful. Liu Zhiyuan looked at all this, and his mentality completely calmed down.
Late at night, the city of Tokyo was still full of dots of firelight. Whether they were high-ranking nobles or ordinary people, they basically gathered together to watch the moon, chat, and comfort each other. The sound of silk bamboo, sheng and yu is endless, and the sound of children playing in the village can be heard all the time.
No matter how miserable the days are, it’s all about tomorrow...
