The Emperor ordered Zhao Tang

Chapter 77 Mingtang
Early in the morning, at the Right Yintai Gate.

"Boom, boom, boom..."

The majestic bell sounds gradually rang out on the imperial road of Danfeng Gate, covering the entire court, reminding everyone that the hour of Mao had arrived.

The palace gate slowly opened, and the civil and military officials packed their breakfast and filed into the palace from the Zhaoqing Gate and Hanyao Gate on both sides under the inspection of the Jinwu Guards to go to the government offices. The four prime ministers Du, Liu, Li, and Zheng looked serious, and their old eyes wandered over each person, as if someone owed them money.

The big pot of cooked rice porridge was emitting steam. Under the watchful eye of the Ye Ting Ling, the female eunuchs lined up to get their meals.

Zhao Fu and others who were standing at the right Yintai Gate waiting to be summoned looked into the distance and saw, under the pale blue sky with a waning moon, red-robed Hanlin officials and Jixian scholars holding jade sceptres in their hands, walking respectfully into the Yintai Gate.

Finished.

Two teams of Feilongyuan warriors walked out holding sticks.

With a crisp sound, the black sticks all hit the ground. The Flying Dragon Officer stood on both sides of the imperial road and looked at Zhao Fu and others. The Praise Officer checked their identities and said, "At 2:00 a.m., the Emperor summoned Zhao Fu, Zhao Jia, Dou Biao, and Bai Zhiqian to the Linde Hall."

Upon hearing this, Zhao Fu and others entered the Yintai Gate under the observation of everyone.

Inside the Mingtang of the Linde Hall, the light was dim and dark. The sage wore a Yishan cap, a red and yellow shirt, a silk skirt, and Liuhe boots. He sat facing west with his hands clasped together, and a hazy white curtain hung in front of him, obscuring the emperor's face.

The two main concubines, He Yuqing and Zhu Xiewusi, were dressed in blue and leather, with complete pendants and ribbons, but no jewelry. They sat facing each other ten steps away from each other, their faces also hidden by curtains. At this moment, they were motionless, with wooden expressions.

Privy Councilor Zhao and Imperial Envoy Yuwenrou stood at the entrance of Mingtang.

The atmosphere is gloomy and solemn.

"Zhao Fu, Zhao Jia, Dou Biao, and Bai Zhiqian come to see the Emperor." The official in charge of greetings suddenly shouted.

The new censor, Nangong Chongyan, bowed behind the white curtain, and after seeing the other party nod slightly, he said, "Your Majesty, please come in."

Zhao Fu took off his shoes skillfully, and was checked by the eunuch who touched his body inch by inch, even his hair was loosened up. Then he lowered his head and hurried inside.

He walked three steps and then bowed down, took off his hat, and prostrated himself on the ground, saying: "The military envoy of Hewei, the deputy minister, the general of Qianhu defense, Jia, the general of suppressing the enemy, Biao, and the military commander, Zhiqian, have received the imperial edict of the envoy of comfort and are here to pay homage to your majesty. I pay my respects to your majesty and kowtow."

Bang bang bang, the sound of people bowing with their hats removed can be heard.

"The emperor said, please stand up." Lady Nangong Chongyan of Handan County held the tablet in her hand and pointed lightly.

"Thank you, Your Majesty." Then Zhao Fu and the others put on their hats and stood up, trotting to the cushions and kneeling down, their buttocks barely touching their calves, not daring to sit again. Perhaps it was the hot summer in June, or perhaps it was the poor ventilation in the Mingtang, their foreheads began to sweat.

As for the saint behind the curtain, Zhao Fu only glanced at him and lowered his head. They were not inner ministers, and looking directly at the emperor would be considered as having ulterior motives.

"How many days will the journey take?" the saint asked without warning.

Zhao Fu stood up and answered, concentrating his energy, "The caravan was carrying offerings, and because of the thieves and the rain along the way, it took 27 days to travel."

"Is everything safe when I pass by on the way?"

Now it was Zhao Jia who answered: "I have passed through Longcheng, Qi, and Anyi Pass. I am a little disappointed that there are corpses everywhere, but people's hearts are still ripe for education."

Unlike the brothers Fu and Jia, who had a sister who was appointed as the Privy Councilor, Dou Biao and Bai Zhiqian were extremely guilty - the previous emperor twice issued edicts to the Hewei and Wei armies to defend the king, but they did not move when Huang Chao was suppressed, and they seemed to have not heard of the Three Towns Rebellion in Chang'an, while the neighboring Jingyuan had already sent troops...

If a saint is a person who is very repaid with a penny, it would be bad if he were asked about the past.

They both felt that this summons was a Hongmen Banquet. Damn the tyrant, the cowardly leader of the tribe, actually encouraged the commander to send an envoy to the court. Now it's good! Looking around the oppressive Mingtang, it seemed that there were a lot of warriors standing behind the screen.

"Zhao Fu, where have you worked?" The saint's loud voice interrupted their fantasies.

"When I was young, I followed my father to serve as the governor of Shang Yanxin. When I was old, I captured the city of Fuqiang. Not long after, I was in mourning for my mother. After the mourning period, I was appointed as the military commander of Baixiong. Li Maozhen attacked Qinzhou and fought with him, with both wins and losses."

Later, when Li Maozhen annexed Longxi, the local Han and Fan resistance forces were eliminated one after another. At this time, the grass on the graves of the Song thieves was a foot high, and the fate of my brother-in-law was changed.

"how old?"

"When I surrendered, I was thirty-one years old, and my younger brother Jia was twenty-eight."

"Is the situation in Tianshui County okay?"

"The weather is favorable, the rivers are calm, and the people are happy."

"What were the county officials like during your journey?" the sage asked.

"The scholars in Qi, Long, Wugong and other places seem to be newly released. They are unfamiliar with the affairs of the country, but they are cautious and diligent. The men and women who hid in the mountains and forests to avoid the chaos obeyed the call and returned to their hometowns."

"Once the warriors are in order, the place will be peaceful?"

Zhao Fu nodded: "Although not, it is not far away. In a year or so, we should be able to achieve peace."

"There are more than 500,000 people in the three states of He, Wei and Qin? How many soldiers are there?"

"There are more than 640,000 people. The registered population in the Zhonghe period may have increased or decreased now." The sage asked questions one after another without stopping, which put Zhao Fu under great pressure: "There are more than 20,000 warriors, and the number of conscripts can be doubled. There are often mobs in Guanxi, such as the Tanguts, Tubo, Turks, and Han peoples. After they were cleared, many soldiers were laid off. In recent years, they are afraid of the power of the court and dare not make any moves."

He said this specifically because he was worried that the sage would use military force against He and Wei - he had seen the sea of corpses in Mibei Lake on the way to the capital, and the foreign people in the team who were from tribes that liked to scalp people and make bone tools were all frightened.

"You have been in Guanxi for many years. Do you understand the language and writing of the Tibetans?"

"I have been exposed to many languages since I was a child, so I can speak and understand the languages of Turkic, Tangut, Tibetan, Parthian and Arab. I cannot write, but I can understand 10 or 12 of the Tibetan books."

"Did you bring the warrior arrogance of Chang'an?"

"I have not been infected by the bad habits of the Middle-earth and I am honest." Zhao Fu breathed a sigh of relief and replied.

"Who are Bai Zhiqian and Dou Biao?" The saint shifted his gaze to the two people who were looking uneasy beside him.

"Zhiqian, originally from Qiuci, was a slave captured by Tubo after it invaded the Western Regions. He went to Tianshui to join the army." Zhao Jia pointed at them and added, "Dou Biao is the son of a local tyrant in Hezhou."

"Who is your relationship with Prince Changhua Bai Xiaode, the Crown Prince's Grand Tutor?" the saint asked, staring at Bai Zhiqian.

Bai Zhiqian was very nervous and bowed, "Your Majesty, Lord Bai and I are of the same clan."

The saint looked at the Zhao Fu brothers again. Zhao Fu was sturdy and strong, with a straight face, bronze complexion, and a heavy and tough look. Zhao Jia was slightly shorter, with a sachet hanging on his body, and a handsome appearance. He would peek at him from time to time, so he must have some intentions.

Just staring at the four people.

After a long while, until Zhao Fu also sat down lightly to relieve the numbness in his back, the sage finally said: "More than 700 warriors, more than 500 auxiliary soldiers, and 900 camels and war horses. Now that we have entered Chang'an, food and fodder are a big deal. I have ordered the Xuanhui Envoy to dispatch the troops, and the camp is near the Da Ci'en Temple."

"The relatives from afar will be rewarded." He Yuqing clapped his hands and said, "Give them clothes, a bucket of Jia pearls, two pieces of silver, and a set of court, official, ordinary, and military uniforms. Dou Biao and Bai Zhiqian will be rewarded 100,000 yuan. Rounu, take them to claim them later."

"Yes." Yu Wenrou bowed in response.

"We are extremely honored and humbled, and we thank God for his grace." The four of them looked at the couple with gratitude.

Bai Zhiqian and Dou Biao bowed their heads, fell to the ground, stuck their buttocks out, and swore in unison: "From now on, we will be your Majesty's dogs and horses, and we will be at your command wherever you want. If we betray you, we will not die a good death!"

They were sent to the court, so they were not stupid. In the current situation, no matter whether the court can be revived or not, Hewei and Weizhou cannot afford to offend for the time being. Although it is cliché to flatter at this time, it is common sense.

What if the Tang Dynasty really recovers from danger?
The four of them bowed and could not get up, but Nangong Chongyan, the Lady of Handan County who presided over the meeting, was in no hurry to ask them to stand up.

There is a complete routine for the superior to spit out food and hold hair in exchange for the service of the subordinates. The key is to strike the right balance. If you neglect any detail, the effect will be very different.

The saints naturally do not think that they will be able to achieve unity of knowledge and action, at least not in the short term. But no matter what they think, as long as they do not rebel, they can be used.

They take advantage of each other.

What Li Ye is doing is to dilute the composition of his army to prevent the warriors from rebellion. He has been working on this for the past six months.

With more than a thousand soldiers from Zhao's relatives, there is one more piece on the chessboard.

To reconcile the two, that's all.

As its power grows, more and more people get involved in making the "cake", and dozens of factions of different sizes are formed in the court. It becomes unlikely that a single soldier or an ambitious person will be able to overthrow the regime.

The Zhao family needed to use the court to gain the merit of being a pillar of the country, so as to maintain their honor and nobility forever, just like their ancestors. After a long time, the saint looked at Nangong Chongyan and raised his hand.

Nangong Chong pointed at Yan Huban and said, "The emperor said retreat."

The four men's muscles had already become numb and swollen. Upon hearing this, they bowed again, then stood up, straightened their clothes, and slowly backed out.

Privy Councilor Zhao Ruxin was waiting for her two brothers under the eaves.

"Greetings to the Lady of Tianshui County, the Privy Councilor." Fu and Jia bowed and saluted, saying solemnly, "At home, they are relatives, and in the court, they are superiors and subordinates. Don't refuse."

"That's all." Zhao asked, "How about the interview?"

Zhao Fu wiped the sweat from his forehead, thinking of the eyes staring at him from behind the curtain: "I heard in Qinzhou that the emperor was controlled internally and externally, and the servants humiliated him at will, and he was a puppet. Today, I see that the emperor's authority is grand."

"The emperor is quite disgusted with warriors." Although the sage mentioned warriors three times without leaving any trace, Zhao Jia still caught it.

Hearing this, Zhao warned: "Don't tell others, this is the dragon's reverse scale. Chang'an is not like Tianshui, you must be careful in what you say and do, strictly control your subordinates, and don't make friends with cliques, otherwise you will be destroyed in no time."

"I don't care about the severity of the situation." Zhao Jia glanced around, moved closer, and asked, "How is the Lord treating my third sister?"

"She's pregnant." Zhao said concisely.

"Good." Zhao Jia stroked his hand and sighed, whispering, "The saint's sons are young, and it is still unknown who will be the emperor after the saint's death. The family's honor and disgrace depends on my third sister."

"Brother, your words are presumptuous." Zhao said in a reproachful tone: "Where is the palace? How dare you speak nonsense?"

"Don't make a scene." Zhao Fu talked about business: "The rebellion in Tongzhou. When I entered the city, I heard from the people that even the Saint's sister-in-law Meng Cairen was raped and cried all night. Why didn't the Saint send troops? I want to suppress the rebellion as soon as possible, so as to gain his trust--"

"Don't rush." Zhao raised her hand to interrupt, and moved lightly: "Dali County, Changchun Palace, Chaoyi, Pubanjin, are all strong fortresses. In the past, Zhu Wen defended Tongzhou, and Wang Zhongrong led tens of thousands of troops to fight all night but failed. It was hard. If we go to attack in large numbers, the chaotic army will defend the city in fear. Who dares to swear to break it? The saint only has 20,000 soldiers. Chang'an is in turmoil now. If we use up all our capital in Tongzhou, it would not be a wise move."

"What's going on?" Zhao Fu asked, not knowing the inside story.

"The military envoy Ximen Chongsui is critically ill, and his 30,000 troops are divided among his son's generals. Perhaps he has other intentions." Zhao said.

Zhao Jia took over the conversation and said leisurely: "The Saint and the eunuchs are suspicious of each other and have a common hatred. Once the Saint leads his troops eastward and sees that Chang'an is empty, if someone takes the risk and closes the city gates to establish another emperor, and then issues an edict to attack him, then the situation will be urgent."

The transition of power is never a trivial matter! Although Ximen Zhongsui reconciled with the saint, it does not mean that nothing will happen. Moreover, the world is boiling now, and there are ambitious people everywhere.

Don't believe it? Look at the late emperor.

Li Keyong and Wang Chongrong attacked Tian Lingzi, and Tian Lingzi sent Li Changfu of Fengxiang and Zhu Mei of Bining to meet the enemy. After being defeated, Li Changfu and Zhu Mei immediately led their troops to rebel, captured the Prince of Xiang who had failed to escape, and made him emperor. After that, they acted just like Li Jue and Guo Si, you held the ministers hostage while I held the emperor hostage, and at the same time, all the troops were sent out to hunt down Emperor Xizong.

The old swineherd was about to die and had no chance to quarrel with the saint, but as for the people under him, no one could guarantee anything, so he could only prepare for a rainy day and treat it as if it were already there.

"I see." Zhao Fu sighed, "Then we have to wait until Ximen Chongsui dies and recruit his troops before we dare to leave."

"Didn't the saint lead two military campaigns in person, and there were no troubles at that time..." Zhao Jia asked doubtfully.

"The first time, the old man was still able to handle the affairs, so who dared to make trouble?" Zhao was a little irritated and took a deep breath: "The second time, the rebel army was nearly 40,000 and attacked the city. The saint had to go, so he had no time to care about the eunuchs."

Zhao Fu couldn't help stamping his feet. When will the old man die? If he is neither dead nor alive, will he still be able to do anything?
"It will be soon." Zhao narrowed her eyes and looked at the palace under the scorching sun. "The old thief has a carbuncle on his back. It will take a few days. Wait a little longer."

……

After the Mingtang meeting ended, the sage took He Yuqing and Zhu Xiewusi to the Qingliang Palace to escape the summer heat.

It was hot and humid, so the two women were wearing cool clothes.

He Yuqing was wearing a plain gauze Zen robe, with only a tube top underneath, leaving her arms and entire back bare. Underneath the thin skirt was a silk hakama—er, open-crotch pants, very convenient. Because it was too eye-catching, it could only be worn in private areas.

Zhu Xiewusi was wearing a dress with an open collar and wide sleeves - it was made of a simple layer of cloth, with no collar on the top and half exposed.

The shoes were simple, all three of them wore wooden clogs.

"What are you looking at?" He Yuqing's face turned red. He covered his face, squeezed his legs together, and ran into the Hanliang Palace in wooden clogs.

There is a transmission wheel in the hall to deliver cold air from the ice room. There is also a water wheel to deliver cold water to the roof, which flows down to form an artificial water curtain. There is a new pool in the side room, with a stone bottom, colorful and clear running water.

"The doors have been locked. No mosquitoes or flies are allowed in." The palace maid from the cool palace came over and reported.

"Let me try it first." The cold wind blew on his face, and He Yuqing's belt became looser.

fragrant……

This is the first sense of a saint.

Compared to the visual impact, the sense of smell was affected more. Without the seal of clothes, the flower fragrance and unique scent of young women that were soaked into the skin by makeup and dressing up lingered at the tip of the nose. And that little bit of sweat, a special smell.

He Yuqing tested the water temperature with her jade feet, and sank into the water along the stone wall. The buoyancy was not small, and the water level rose visibly. When it was submerged up to her neck, her body trembled, she moaned softly, and then she stood up again.

Her soft black hair was draped over her shoulders, with a few wet strands sticking to her forehead and cheeks, adding a touch of charm and provocation to her dignified look.

Further down are the shoulders, where the clavicle pits are filled with water.

If I use this as a jar, fill it with fine wine, and drink it all in one gulp... I will die on the bellies of these women sooner or later! Is it because I have been under too much pressure recently and have become more and more hungry for women? Or do I really have the potential to be a tyrant?
Just this once!
"Your Majesty." He Yuqing sprinkled a handful of water on the saint's face, playing hard to get, and then dived into the water with a splash, swimming like a snake.

The saint did a backflip and plunged into the stone pool. In his previous life, he had stunned countless people in the swimming pool. Now, entering the water was like an old dragon entering the sea.

"I wonder why you didn't come?" He Yuqing leaned his head out and asked.

"I don't know how, you guys wash it."

The saint pulled her into the water and said, "I'll teach you."

"Your Majesty!" Zhu Xiewusi's breathing accelerated instantly as the saint held him in his arms in the water. This feeling was too hard to describe - a forbidden pleasure that overturned common sense. Shame, excitement, and...

"Don't worry." The touch was delicate and a little sticky. The saint stroked gently, and Zhu Xiewusi's ups and downs back slowly calmed down.

He turned around, hugged Li's neck, and blushed: "In this chaotic world, you are still doing this..."

"Why don't you just sigh every day?" When you finish your work, you should take a rest. It's boring to alternate between work and entertainment.

"When will we attack Tongzhou?" Zhu Xiewusi asked, pinching his chest beads.

"Wait for death." The saint picked her up, sometimes gently holding her, sometimes rushing forward: "Wait until the old man dies, and then collect the inheritance."

"Okay..." Zhu Xiewusi could no longer hear clearly what he was saying.

"In attacking Tongzhou, if the rebels occupy the city and defend it, can we attack it by force?"

"No." Zhu Xiewusi enjoyed the special happiness in the water and said intermittently: "Zhang Xun had less than 10,000 soldiers. Linghu Chao, Li Huaixian, and Yin Ziqi gathered more than 100,000 soldiers and fought hard for more than a year. Fenyang King's 200,000 troops besieged An Qingxu's 60,000 ragtag troops and were defeated. In the spring of the following year, Shi Siming came to help from Fanyang, and the situation was reversed. Wei Zhaodu's 100,000 troops attacked Chengdu for 300 days without success. My father attacked Yunzhou, lost more than 10,000 soldiers, and was defeated..."

"Our strength is our knights. Now you have more than 10,000 cavalrymen. The only victorious states in the world are Wei, Zhao, Yan, and Jin. Try to use our strength to attack the enemy's weakness. Attacking a city can easily backfire on you, so avoid it if you can."

"As you command." The saint responded with a great effort.

"Can you buy another 10,000 war horses from my father? Zhu'er and the others are all natural... cavalry generals, they can help you train and train the soldiers..." Zhu Xiewusi leaned against the stone wall, his mind wandering.

"This--" Why are you asking me to buy a horse from your father?

"Father is having a hard time, so let's help as much as we can."

"Buy!" If you sleep with someone else's daughter, you have to work for your father-in-law.

"What are you doing?" He Yuqing swam back, looked at the scene in front of her, gathered her wet hair, and was speechless.

"Woo... let go..." Zhu Xiewusi was like a frightened bird. He spit it out hurriedly and stood up from the water.

"Stupid emperor!" He Yuqing swam over - Li's waist was clamped by a pair of warm and smooth legs.

(End of this chapter)